This Wasn't Supposed to Happen
by IAin'tNoOrdinaryGirl
Summary: Annabeth Chase never thought she would be married to Luke Castallen. Of course, everybody loves the blonde haired and blue eyed boy. Except Annabeth. Why? Because she encounters his abusive side every day. But what happens when one day, Annabeth meets Percy Jackson, a stranger online, who she just can't help but fall in love with? Percabeth. COMPLETED.
1. Prologue

**A/N: Hi! I'm like incredibly new to this site..and I just wanted to take a shot at this. I do not own Percy Jackson (but Leo owns my heart).**

A/N: Hi! I'm like incredibly new to this site..and I just wanted to take a shot at this. I do not own Percy Jackson (but Leo owns my heart).

**PROLOGUE**

Annabeth sighed as she stared at her reflection in the mirror, feeling a sinking feeling rise up in her stomach.

Never would Annabeth would have thought she would be here, wearing a wedding dress, waiting to walk down to marry the man her parents had desired she marry.

Her soon to be husband, Luke Castallen, seemed like a golden boy, the perfect man for any girl. She knew her parents thought him and his blue eyes and blonde hair were the perfect match for Annabeth, but she would never agree. They knew how Luke acted in public, with his fake smiles and perfect hair, but they didn't know how he treated her when she was alone, with his stupid drinking and abusive attitude towards her, as if she were his slave. She hated him to hell and back.

Now, you're probably thinking, Annabeth, why the hell don't you leave the bastard?

It isn't that easy. Luke was from an extremely rich family, with the richest man in the country, Hermes, as his father, and his mother, May Castallen. Apparently, the only way for Luke to participate in his father's messenger company, HermesFedEx, he wanted to marry Annabeth. She couldn't say no, knowing Luke could easily hurt her and her family for that, as he had told her before they'd gotten married. If Annabeth would even think of turning him in, she would need a hell lot of logic to convince them, and her parents, since they were practically in love with Luke. My parents love Luke more than I ever will.

Annabeth stared into the grey eyes looking back into the mirror at her. She was in a floor length beautiful Greek style dress that flowed as she walked. The dress was only one shoulder, decorated with silver silk, and had a gorgeous silver belt around it, making it elegant yet simple. For some reason, Annabeth didn't want to wear this beautiful dress while marrying Luke. She should be wearing it while walking down the aisle to the man she loved, not some self-centered asshole.

She wasn't paying attention to her surroundings and jumped when her dad came in the room with a huge grin on his face, obviously excited for the wedding that was soon to take place.

"You look gorgeous, sweetheart. Ready?" He asked, holding his elbow out.

No. How much of a choice do I have?

With one more look at herself and a sigh, Annabeth hooked her elbow with his and together, they walked down the aisle.

Into Annabeth's future, one she was not looking forward to.

* * *

"Luke Alexander Castallen, do you take Annabeth Marie Chase to be your wedded wife, to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health, and forsaking all others, be faithful only to her, for as long as you both shall live?" The man, Chiron asked.

"I do." Luke said, winking at Annabeth from the corner of his eye, the movement going unnoticed by everybody but her. Annabeth had the sudden urge to spit on his face.

Her turn.

"And do you, Annabeth Marie Chase take Luke Alexander Castallen to be your wedded husband to live together in marriage? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health and forsaking all others, be faithful only to him so long as you both shall live?"

She averted her gaze from the floor to Luke, who looked at her with fake affection as he smiled, trying to fool everybody in the crowd. She took a deep breath, knowing the two words would lead her not only to her new life, but to her new husband and future. She looked at everybody in the crowd, and then back at Luke, who was watching her, as if daring her to say "I don't."

Annabeth looked directly in her fiance's eyes.

"I do."


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: Okay, oh my god. 179 views? 2 favorites? 4 reviews? 5 follows? Are you fucking serious? Do you guys honestly know how much this means to me? Thank you! I can't say it enough, thank you! Your reviews make me smile, and give me inspiration, and the favorites just brighten my day. To be honest, I never thought that I'd get even 10 views, let alone freaking 200. You, beautiful people, are just. Amazhang. I tried to make this extra good for you beauties, because you people actually spend your time reading this. I honestly stopped breathing when I read how the number of views, favorites and follows. Your reviews just kinda made me smile and tear up for a second. This is getting long...so, I'll shut up. Enjoy!**

Annabeth's P.O.V.

"Annie!" Annabeth heard Luke yell from the living room, obviously drunk. She winced. Annabeth hated the nickname, but knew if she said anything he would hit her. Like always. Taking a deep breath, Annabeth walked into the living room, where Luke was sprawled on the couch, beer in his hand, watching the football game.

"Yes, Luke?" She asked, murdering him over and over again. Sadly, it was only in her head.

"Finally, bitch. How long does it take somebody to answer their husband? And to think I actually wanted to marry you" He trailed off, shaking his head with a frown. "Anyways, go get me some more beer from the fridge." He said, with a gesture of his hand, indicating she had to.

"Not like I wanted to marry you, either." Annabeth muttered under her breath, unable to help herself.

Unfortunately, he heard it. Narrowing his eyes, his jaw clenched, he said whispering in a venomous tone, "What was that, bitch?"

"Nothing." Annabeth replied, deciding it was best she didn't argue. Last time she did, which was on their honeymoon to Paris, Annabeth had ended up getting scars all over her body.

 _It was their third day on their honeymoon, where Luke had roughly pushed her against the wall, kissing her._

" _Lu-Luke, stop." Annabeth struggled to get away from him, but all he did was pin her hands to the wall, forcing her to stop. She obviously knew where it would lead, but did her best to prevent it._

 _Still, Annabeth had tried to get away, getting disgusted when his tongue slipped into her mouth, feeling his smirk on her lips, the grip on her elbows getting tighter._

 _Desperate to get away, she kneed him in the groin, as hard as she could, resulting in him groaning and doubling over in pain. He looked up at her with icy cold eyes, the look that sent shivers down her spine. "You fucking slut!" He shouted, getting the nearest object near him, which happened to be a vase, and threw it at her._

 _Having remarkable reflexes, Annabeth quickly stepped aside, and the vase shattered against the wall, breaking into numerous pieces. She met her gaze with Luke, not showing any weakness or emotion._

" _You have absolutely NO right to do that." She said, venom laced into her face, hating Luke more than ever. She'd have to clean the mess._

" _I do. You're my property. I can do anything I want, and maybe even one day, I'll kill you, whore. It isn't as if you even deserve to live." Luke replied, his fists clenching._

 _Annabeth had enough. He might have married her, but nobody, not even Luke, had the right to say things like that. She'd had enough. Feeling incredibly pissed at her so called "husband", she spat on his face and kicked him in the arm again. Then, running to their room, ignoring the yells and shouts from Luke, slammed the door shut._

 _That night, Annabeth had gotten beaten by Luke, him throwing beer bottles at her, and other items, such as portraits. Hell, at one point, he even whipped her with one of his belts. But Annabeth didn't show weakness. She would never show weakness to the bastard, knowing he wanted to see weakness. That night, she promised herself, that until the day she died, she would never show any weakness to Luke._

 _He didn't deserve that._

Shaking her head, Annabeth came back into reality, where Luke was yelling at her to get beer and stop day-dreaming.

"Luke, you've had one too many beers. You have to go to work tomorrow, I don't want you hungover again, and waking up dizzy." Annabeth spoke softly, hoping it could get him to calm down.

It didn't.

Glaring at her, he threw the beer bottle he had been drinking. Once again, it smashed against the wall, because of Annabeth's reflexes. Telling herself to not get pissed, she stayed calm and didn't say anything. Just for her sake.

"Go." Luke ordered Annabeth, watching her with a fixed gaze, his eyes narrowed.

With a huff and a roll of her eyes, Annabeth went to get him some more beer. _Forget it, then._

Getting the beer out from the fridge, Annabeth stared at it in disgust. _What the hell have I gotten myself into? WHY am I letting a stupid asshole control me? Annabeth, you're Annabeth Chase. You shouldn't let him control you, or treat you like shit. He may be rich, but he doesn't have any right to do that. Get away from him. He can't hurt anybody. Divorce him, Annabeth. Do it._

Shaking her head from the rebellious thoughts, Annabeth exited the fridge to see as smirking Luke while she handed him his beer, thrusting it in his hand.

"Good girl. Maybe you'll get a surprise tonight for being so obedient." He added, with a wink and a rake of his eyes all over her body.

Annabeth mentally threw up. Shuddering in disgust, Annabeth left the living room, muttering, "Pervert." under her breath.

 _How much more will I take of this?_

Percy's P.O.V:

Looking at himself in the mirror, Percy winced. His body was decorated with bruises, each with their own memory. The ugly fresh and purple bruise on his upper-left arm, when his abusive stepfather, Gabe had punched him in the arm hard when Percy refused to go steal some beer from the store for him. Or the one near his rib cage, when Gabe had kicked him while he was on the floor, already hurt by his punches.

After his mother had died due to cancer, about when he was little, Percy was stuck living with Gabe. Even after he finished school. He was forced to drop out of college because of Gabe. Gabe was a police officer, if Percy even dared to turn him and his abusive ass in, it would take a lot of logic, which Percy obviously never and never will have. Besides, it isn't like he didn't deserve it anyways.

Everyday, Percy woke up, knowing this could be his last day. But he woke up with a strength. He wouldn't let Gabe kill him without a fight. _I am Percy Jackson. I am NOT anything that Gabe says. I'm not worthless._ The words had been taped to his door, everytime he walked in, the words reminded him, even the days where Gabe beat him senseless, Percy would look at the words.

Sighing, Percy flopped himself onto his bed, pulling his phone out, and opening Whisper **(A/N: For those of you beauties that don't know what Whisper is, it's an anonymous app that let's you share secrets and talk to anonymous people privately)** Looking at the popular page, Percy saw that almost all of the whispers were dating and sex. Disgusted, Percy kept scrolling. Was sex all they thought about? A certain whisper caught his eye, stating, " _I wish I could get out of this abusive hellhole."_ Surprised, Percy almost dropped his phone. Without thinking twice, Percy sent the anonymous person, who had the profile name of 'the-grey-eyed-girl' a text.

She responded almost immediately.

 **A/N: How is it? Too short? I think it's absolutely horrible, but you know. And for the people who actually want to read this, I have to hide what I do from my parents, and especially my twin, and it's incredibly hard, so I get time to write once he leaves and my parents aren't home. But anyways, holy shit, you guys, I just can't say how thankful I am for you, life's been shitty but you have kept me going, so thank you, beautiful people. I think I know where this story will go..I just need to get the shit in my life in order. Keep smiling!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson.**

 **A/N: Is this a dream? Are you beautiful people playing a joke on me? 6 reviews, 5 favorites and oh holy shit, 18 follows and 531 VIEWS? Oh my gods. Holy Hephaestus. Don't you dare wake me up from this wonderful dream. Thank you! Oh my god, just thank you, for everybody who actually views, reviews, favorites, and follows me or my stories! I literally saw my inbox, and stopped breathing. I swear on the River Styx, you guys are the best people ever. Thank you so much! Enjoy! And I just….Fine. I'll stop.**

Percy's P.O.V.

Messaging the girl from Whisper, an "I agree.", Percy went to set his phone down, although, stopped once he felt his voice vibrate in his hands, indicating he had a message. Picking his phone back up, Percy realized the girl had messaged back.

 _the-grey-eyed-girl: Do you? What's your story, then?_

Surprised by her immediate response, Percy stared at the screen, suddenly feeling as though he had known this girl forever. He had a sudden urge to tell this story everything about him, his life, his past, and anything else she'd like to know about him. _Get a grip. She's just said 6 words to you, and you haven't even met her._ He quickly messaged her back.

 **GreenEyes: Nosy, now aren't we?**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Sorry. I just have this tendency..you know? Tell me more about yourself :).**

 **GreenEyes: I'm 82 years old, I have purple hair, and I live in Minnesota.**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: C'mon, let's be honest here.**

 **GreenEyes: Fine. Percy Jackson, 24, male.**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Huh. Interesting name. Annabeth Chase, 24, female.**

 **GreenEyes: You have a beautiful name. Where do you live (not to sound like a stalker or anything)?**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Hey, not at all. San Francisco.**

 **GreenEyes: New York!**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Man, I've ALWAYS wanted to go to New York, the architecture is absolutely stunning from what I've heard.**

Before Percy could respond, the door of his room was knocked down. The door came crashing down with a _thump,_ and Percy knew he'd have to fix it. Again. Gabe was standing at the doorway, a beer bottle in his hand. His bald head was shining in the light, and his eyes were bloodshot, staring him down.

"Yo, kid! Didn't I tell you to get the house ready? My buds are coming over, and I don't want to show them how much of a worthless bastard my stepson is!" He roared, coming closer to Percy.

Taking a deep breath, Percy ignored the insult and spoke calmly back, looking at Gabe's disgusting face. "I cleaned everything."

Gabe raised an eyebrow, and raised his bottle. Looking at Percy flinching, he smirked.

"You, Percy Jackson, are a worthless bastard. Do you fucking see the floors? Or the bathroom? Go clean that shit up, before I have to make you." He threatened, and with a disgusted look at Percy and spitting on his face, limped away.

Gagging, Percy wiped the spit off his face. _Will I have to live with Gabe forever? Just die already, bastard. All I do is take the blows every single day, like a coward._ Suddenly, Percy got a flashback of when he was three years old.

" _Mommy! I want ice cream!" Percy squealed, looking out his window as he saw the ice cream truck stop on their street._

 _His mother slowly came up to the window, her brown eyes sparkling while looking at her son. "Percy, I don't have any money right now, maybe tomorrow." She spoke softly, not wanting to disappoint her son._

 _Percy's grin dropped. "Okay." He said quietly, and it was obvious he was hoping for another answer. Knowing how strong Percy was and how much he put up with Gave, even for a three year old, Sally smiled. Gabe was at work, he wouldn't notice if she spend just five dollars._

" _What are you waiting for, Percy? Let's go get some ice cream!" His mother exclaimed, her heart bursting with joy when she saw his green eyes, the same ones he had inherited from his father, light up._

" _Yay!" He shouted, but soon, looking out the window, realized the truck had left. He turned to his mother, "Mommy, they left, and I didn't get anything."_

 _In a split second, Sally made a decision. "You know what? Grab your hoodie, Percy. We're going out to eat ice cream."_

Blinking the tears he hadn't noticed out of his eyes, Percy slowly got up, putting his phone down and staring at New York City out of his window.

 _It's not the same without you, mom._

* * *

Annabeth's P.O.V

The next morning, Annabeth woke up with a strange feeling in her chest. Even though she had not met the man on Whisper, she had spent all night thinking about him. Even though all she knew was a name and his age.

Blinking the sleep out of her eyes, Annabeth looked next to her, only to see an empty space, where Luke had slept the night before. Looking at the clock, Annabeth realized it was already 8 o'clock in the morning. Panicking, she shot up from the bed. Luke would be back by ten and be expecting lunch and the house to be perfectly clean. Or else, she'd get beaten, once again. Groggily, Annabeth walked over to her bathroom.

Looking at herself, Annabeth almost didn't recognize herself. Her eyes had lost their usual bright colors and were more of a dull grey, sadness lurking behind them. She had dark bags under them, as if she hadn't slept for days and her face was as pale as a ghost.

Shaking her head, Annabeth turned the water on, waiting for it to turn cool. Just then, Annabeth heard a phone ringing outside of the bathroom. She rarely got calls. Forgetting the running water, Annabeth went outside the bathroom ( **A/N: Why shut the door when nobody's home?** ), and into her room, looking for the source of the ringing noise. It wasn't Annabeth's phone, rather Luke's. He never left anything behind, but today it seemed as though he had left his phone. Looking at the caller I.D, Annabeth read the name, "RED" and in the picture was a gorgeous girl with red frizzy hair.

Curiosity getting the best of her, Annabeth picked the phone up. Before she could ask who it was, the girl spoke first. "Hey, babe. It's Rachel. Is your slutty wife gone yet? Let's have some fun."

 **A/N: You guys. I love you, I can't explain HOW thankful I am. I opened my inbox the other day and was rewarded with how many alerts? 56. I can't, oh my god. Thank you! You guys are seriously the best people ever. Leave a review and let me know what you think (I honestly hope you weren't that disappointed in this, but summer's coming up, and that means I can get some time alone to write! ). Keep smiling, beauties, xxx.**

 **Post Script: What do you guys prefer when Annabeth and Percy talk, bold or italics?**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson (but Percy owns Annabeth's heart...PERCABETH.)**

 **A/N: Hiya, beauties! Once again, I have to thank each and every one of you. For each and everybody reading this, I love you. You hear me?** _ **I LOVE YOU.**_ **To the people who follow my story, which, amazingly is 31 people, I love you, too. The favorites. The follows. The reviews. The views. So, viewers, followers, reviewers, favouriters (which is not a word), this is for you. I love you, beauties. Thank you. Now..onto the story! I hope you like it (I was terrified to post this because I feel like it isn't as good as you were expecting…). Enjoy!**

Annabeth's P.O.V:

"Hey, babe. It's Rachel. Is your slutty wife gone yet? Let's have some fun." The girl spoke, with a girly voice and as if she were trying to sound seductive.

"Excuse me?" Annabeth demanded, her eyebrows raised.

She heard crashing through the other side of the phone, as if the girl, Rachel, had suddenly gotten up and dropped boxes.

"Who are you?" Rachel demanded back, in a surprised voice.

"I assume I am the so called 'slutty wife' you mentioned." Annabeth spoke back, suddenly angry. Who gave her the right to call her a slut?

"Oh, you. How did you get Lukey's phone?" Rachel spoke with disgust in her voice.

Annabeth internally threw up. Lukey? "Who's asking? His girlfriend?" Annabeth spoke, disgust obviously radiating off her voice.

"No, his fiance, dumbass." The girl replied.

Shock hit Annabeth like a ton of bricks. "..His fiance?" Annabeth knew he had been with other girls before and after their marriage, but never knew he would actually become engaged to them. Even though Annabeth had no feelings whatsoever for Luke, she still felt hurt.

"Yes, dumbass. That's kinda what I just said.." Rachel said in a "duh" voice.

Tears welled up in Annabeth's eyes. Not because she had feelings for Luke, but because he had been engaged and yet treated her like a peice of shit. She was suddenly irate at Rachel.

"Fuck you..Do you honestly call people dumbasses without even knowing their name? You're acting like I wanted to get married to Luke. No. I didn't. I fucking HATE him. You have absolutely no right to call me whatever you're calling me. Do you see me calling you the shit you're saying to me? Go ahead. Marry Luke. Then I can get out of here. How long have you two been dating, exactly? 5 years? 6?"

The girl was silent.

A cold voice behind Annabeth spoke up. "Actually, Annie, 7 years. And don't worry, you won't be leaving that easily, remember what I'm capable of."

Annabeth whirled around, and almost dropped the phone. Luke was standing there, his jaw clenched, and his eyes full of malice and hatred.

"You aren't capable of anything. Don't you fucking dare try to hurt my family. Hurt me, but don't lay a finger on my family, or I will kill you. I swear it." Annabeth spoke in a deadly calm voice, forgetting about Rachel on the other line.

"Do you really think you scare me? Go ahead. Try to hit me, you know you're worthless and weak." Luke replied coldly.

 _I'm not worthless._ When Annabeth didn't answer, Luke came closer to her and slapper her. "Don't fucking look at my things, again. Bitch." And with that, he snatched the phone from Annabeth's hands and left the room.

"Oh, and you think I can't hurt your family? Watch me."

The front door slammed shut.

* * *

Percy's P.O.V:

Waking up to another day, Percy groaned as the sun blinded his eyes. Sitting up, Percy rubbed his eyes, and looked around his room.

His room was full of posters from The Black Keys and My Chemical Romance. Shirts were thrown carelessly all across the floor, the drawers had clothes sticking out of them, all fully open, and random things, such as ear-buds, hanging from the door-knob.

Grabbing his phone from his nightstand, Percy saw he had 36 missed calls from his best friend, Nico. Nico barely called Percy, and never at 8 in the morning, which was three hours before Percy woke up. Figuring Nico must have left a message, Percy checking his voicemail. There was, just as Percy guessed, a voicemail. Pressing play to Nico's, Percy put his phone against his ear.

 _Dude, are you dead? Pick up the phone, will you? Eh, I figured you would listen to this before calling me back, you bastard, but my dad's going on a stupid trip or whatever to San Francisco for three or four months, and guess who has to go with him? Guess who's coming with the person who has to go? You. Get your bags packed. We leave in a week._

Sighing, Percy stared at his phone's screen. There was no way Gabe would let him go. Calling Nico, Percy prepared himself for an argument with his stubborn best friend.

Answering in the first ring, Nico's voice asked, "Percy?"

"Who else?" Percy responded, lying down back in bed, and plugging his headphones which he had snatched from the ground up and plugging them in.

"So, you're coming right?" Nico asked, a little too enthusiastic for normal Nico.

"Nico..you know I can't."

"And why can't you?" Nico's stubbornness was clearly showing.

"Gabe would never let me, and you know that." Percy answered, staring at the clock, wishing he could go back to sleep again.

"Oh, please. I can ask Hades to convince him. And considering my dad is one hell of a convincer, considering he creeps everybody out…"

"Right. Good luck with that, I know Gabe. He won't fall for it. Why do you want me to go so badly, anyways?"

Nico was silent for a moment. Then, taking a deep breath, he answered. "Hey, remember how I told you that I was gay?"

Percy nodded, but realized Nico couldn't see him. "Yeah."

"Well, I met this guy, online..his name's Will. We've been going out for like seven weeks. And I think I'm in love with him, and he lives close to where we're going. You know that my dad's homophobic, and I wanted you to come with me to go see him, so my dad wouldn't get suspicious."

Percy grinned. "Seven weeks? And you never told me?" Nico had lost his mother, Maria, and sister, Bianca, to a car accident, and Percy wanted his best friend to be happy, after everything he had been through, Percy truly believed Nico deserved the most happiness of anybody.

"Well..I thought you would just think I'm weird." Nico answered, a little more quietly.

"Hell no. I'm going, I have to meet this certain Will of yours, to make sure he isn't some creepy dude or anything." Percy replied, suddenly being overprotective.

"Dude. I'm 22."

"So? You're still my little best friend, Nico."

"Shut the hell up, I'm not little. And I'll get my dad to convince that bastard, believe me. You'll be free from him for three months."

Percy couldn't help but smile at his best friend. "Whatever you say, Nico."

 **A/N: Haha, now I pulled Nico and Rachel into this! Happy weekend, lovelies! Percy and Annabeth didn't talk this chapter..but they will next chapter! I swear. I had a weird nightmare last night where all the reviews I had were like, "This is horrible. Stop writing, you're terrible." or "This is so OOC. Just stop." Weird, but it scared me. I don't know why. I hope this chapter isn't too bad for you beauties. Don't forget to leave me a review! Keep smiling, xxx.**


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson.**

 **A/N: Firstly, *raises glass* Here's to my followers, viewers, reviewers, and favoriters! I love you all, and thank you.**

 **Second, 42 follows. 21 reviews. 19 favorites. Oh my gods. Guys, I literally can't thank any of you enough. Thank you, my gosh. This week's been absolutely terrible but your reviews just made my year. I can't thank you enough. I love you guys. I seriously love you.**

 **Third, I know my chapters are incredibly short, but I can't believe we're onto chapter five! And already I have people who actually like this. I just, love you people.**

 **I hope you beauties like this, enjoy!**

Annabeth's P.O.V:

Sighing, Annabeth pulled her knees up and rested her chin on her knees. She stared at the wall in front of her. Would Luke really hurt her family? No. Annabeth refused to think about that shit. Luke may be cruel, but he would never do such a thing. And what about Rachel? Would Annabeth really let that go? Would she do something about it?

The thoughts swirled in her mind like hurricane winds. Taking a deep breath, Annabeth pulled her phone out, not wanting to deal with the thoughts right now. She quickly checked Whisper, and saw that the boy, who called himself Percy Jackson, had messaged her just a minute ago. Even though they had not yet traded pictures, and he could be a catfisher or a creepy old man, Annabeth was strangely attracted to talk to him.

 **the -grey- eyed- girl: Man, I've ALWAYS wanted to go to New York, the architecture is**

 **absolutely stunning from what I've heard.**

 **GreenEyes: Nerd alert, nerd alert! Seriously though, you're into architecture?**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Oh, shut up. But I absolutely love architecture, I've always dreamed of becoming an architect.**

 **GreenEyes: That's cool. So why don't you become one? What's stopping you?**

Staring at the phone, Annabeth once again felt like telling the stranger everything about her.

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Who's nosy now?**

 **GreenEyes: Sorry. But the Whisper we met on..Annabeth, who's abusing you?**

Surprised by both the question and the fact that he remembered her name, Annabeth didn't know how to reply.

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Does it really matter? What about you? Who abuses you, Percy?**

 **GreenEyes: Are you going to answer all of my questions with questions?**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Why can't I?**

 **GreenEyes: Yeah. I figured. Just try to stay safe, alright?**

Not even knowing anything but her name and age, Annabeth smiled faintly that he cared about her.

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Hey, don't worry about me, it won't matter whether I'm safe or not, you don't even know me in real life.**

 **GreenEyes: O: You are my friend. I care about you. You could be a creepy stalker that's lying about all this, but I just want you to be safe. Just promise me that you will try to stay safe.**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: You promise me too, Percy.**

 **GreenEyes: I can't.**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: You can.**

 **GreenEyes: Fine. At the same time?**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Sure.**

And with that, both Percy and Annabeth typed in "Promise.", making a pact that neither would ever forget.

Percy's P.O.V:

Smiling down at the screen, Percy locked his phone and stuffed it into his pocket. He got up from his seat, and took his coffee from his hand.

He had been out into the city just to avoid Gabe and just have some time to think. His mother's death anniversary was coming up, and he couldn't get his mother off his mind. Gabe had no idea where he was, because he was working. It was always tempting to not run away from home. Percy was 24 years old, he could honestly support it. But he knew Gabe would find him eventually, being a cop. He knew that if his mother had known what he had been letting Gabe to do to him, she would have been let down.

Yet, Percy let Gabe push him around. _Would I live my whole life like this if Mom was alive?_ Before his mother had been diagnosed, she had promised that they would leave Gabe once he turned 24. He remembered that sad look on her face everyday as she listened to Gabe insult her, over and over. Percy hadn't even known why Sally married Gabe to begin with.

Shaking his head as if to clear his thoughts, Percy pulled his phone out. He found himself opening his phone again, scrolling through his and the mysterious woman named Annabeth Chase's conversation. He hadn't even known why he cared so much about whether she got abused or not. For all he knew, she could have been some girl seeking attention and compliments, but for some reason, he didn't believe it. He felt some odd attraction towards her that was unexplainable, as if she and him knew each other forever even if they'd said only sentences towards each other. He remembered making her promise him that she would try to stay safe. When she had promised him, his heart felt lighter, as though a weight had been lifted off his chest. Why? Percy didn't know. _I won't even talk to this girl for long, I mean, we don't know each other in real life, so why become attached? She's just a random stranger, anyways, hundreds of miles away._ But yet, Percy couldn't stop thinking about her. Hell, even at night, he had spent three hours just thinking about _her._ Her, the complete stranger.

He stared at the sidewalk in front of him. The city never disappointed him. The people from all around, all with their own stories. He saw a young mother handle two small children, all holding her hand as she crossed the street, bags in her hands. Two couples holding hands, smiling, walking on the sidewalk. Everybody's heart beating with underneath their coats, but some hearts were broken. Some were complete. Some were just waiting to be complete. Strangers with masks, hiding so many talents. People with broken-hearts, people with a broken soul. There were people just like him walking around the city, yet they never showed anything except for a smile. Just like Percy. And Annabeth.

Percy stopped dead in his tracks once he realized what he just thought. _What the hell? Annabeth?_

Percy's thoughts were interrupted when he heard his phone ring. The ringtone of, "Shut Up!" **(A/N: One of my favorite songs by Simple Plan) l** et Percy knew it was Gabe calling. Sliding the answer button, Percy put the phone to his ear.

"What do you want?" He asked, knowing Gabe rarely called him. The last time he called him was to let him know that his mother had passed away, even though he already knew.

"You don't address me like that, bastard." Gabe sneered, and Percy could tell he was drunk, once again.

"Fine. What is it, my dear stepfather?" Percy asked sarcastically.

"Bastard, you'll pay for that." Gabe snarled, but before Percy could answer, he went on. "As I was saying, you better come home, kid. It's about your father."

 **A/N: Dang, I've uploaded three stories today. Well, I recently got a PM saying I couldn't write, and was a "worthless cunt that needed to burn in hell.", and calling me trash and worthless over and over, and saying I should just give up, so I haven't been motivated to write this lately. I'm honestly not fishing for compliments, I'm being completely honest with you beauties. I've been working on other one-shots, and I just feel bad about this story right now. Hopefully, it won't last long, but just stay tuned! I feel like such a badass uploading this because my brother is literally next to me and isn't noticing. Anyways, I hope you liked this, stay safe and keep smiling beauties, xxx.**


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

 **A/N: Hiya, beauties! Once again, this is another update. I don't have much to say right now...but the author note in the end will be a long one, so be warned (none of you have to read the shit I say, though). I hope you like this chapter, enjoy!**

Annabeth's P.O.V:

Throwing a pillow onto a wall, Annabeth threw her hands up in exasperation. She had finished doing the dishes, organizing all the cabinets, cleaning out the closet, the bathroom, the bedroom, and the kitchen, but yet, she felt as wide awake, unable to sleep. Even after she did chores to try to help her fall asleep.

She remembered the day before, and what Luke had happened.

" _Dinner better be ready, bitch!" Annabeth heard Luke yell, opening the front door, and coming in the kitchen. He threw his files and folders onto a sofa, along with his laptop. Looking at him, Annabeth realized his hair was messed up and ruffled, and his shirt was crumpled, two buttons opened. She could only wonder what had caused that._

 _When he saw that Annabeth had not yet finished making dinner, his eyes flashed. "What did I tell you, bitch? Dinner better be ready!" He growled, irritated._

 _Annabeth continued to stir the spaghetti in the pot_ _ **(A/N: I don't know.. I could only think of spaghetti.)**_ _, her back turned from him. She suddenly felt his hands on her shoulders, spinning her around. His eyes were cold, the way they always were when she were around him. No love or passion, just coldness and hatred._

 _Annabeth suddenly remembered Rachel and without thinking, she blurted, "Why don't you go have Rachel make it for you?"_

 _The instant she saw his jaw clench, she regretted it. He raised his hand, as if to slap her, and his eyes glittered with malice when he saw her flinch. "Pathetic, aren't you? Don't worry, I won't hit you." He replied maliciously, lowering his hand. "You don't deserve to live here. You're lucky that I even LET you stay here, Miss. Pathetic."_

 _Annabeth's eyes glinted with anger. "YOU let ME stay here? All you do is hit me. Kick me out, then. Go ahead and kick me out. Anywhere is better than here. If I can recall, you were the one who wanted to marry me in the first place. Not vice-versa. If I really am that bad, divorce me. Kick me out. As a matter of fact, why haven't you?" She countered back, staring him right in the eye, all fear gone._

 _Luke's hands clenched, along with his jaw. It seemed as if he wanted to hit her again, but he didn't. Instead, he replied, "You wouldn't ever understand, dumbass.", and with a disgusted look at Annabeth, he left the room, slamming their bedroom door shut. "Dinner better be ready in 5!" He yelled from the room, his voice muffled._

 _Before doing anything else, Annabeth quickly checked to see if she had her phone with her. Even though she knew it was locked, she felt a need to keep it away from Luke. The urge had grown even stronger when she met Percy._

 _Annabeth stopped her thoughts before they could, for the thousandth time, wander off to Percy. She sighed in relief once she saw her phone on the counter of the kitchen. Quickly stirring the spaghetti, she wondered what Luke had meant when he said, "You wouldn't ever understand, dumbass." What the hell would that mean? It obviously didn't have to be with him having feelings, seeing the way he acted towards her. So what could it be?_

Even 5 hours later, at one in the morning, Annabeth couldn't stop thinking about it. Luke had gone off supposedly to do "work", but after learning about Rachel, Annabeth could tell what he really meant. She knew that she had to stop overthinking about it. It was just five words, but still, Annabeth couldn't help but wonder what it meant.

She heard her phone ring, the ringtone of "She's a Rebel.", which her best friend had set personally, without Annabeth knowing. Thalia usually didn't call Annabeth, rather sneak out through the window once Annabeth gave her the sign that Luke was not home.

Thalia was the only one that knew how much Annabeth hated Luke. Having known Luke while growing up, and the two being best friends, Thalia had been close to Luke, but in the end, had been left him by him. She was the only one that truly understood how much of an ass the golden haired boy was.

In sophomore year, Thalia and Annabeth had been paired up in a science project, and even though the punk girl was the opposite of Annabeth, with her choppy black hair and electrifying blue eyes, the two clicked instantly. They had started talking, and soon, they had become best friends. Thalia with her rebellious attitude, knew everything about Annabeth, and Annabeth knew everything about Thalia. The two had kept in touch while Thalia went to college, and when she returned, they had gone back to the way they were in high school, closer than ever.

Thalia worked as a police officer, a job she adored, and had told Annabeth many times that she could turn Luke in, but Annabeth refused. Still, she knew that Thalia could easily turn Luke in, but Annabeth had begged her not to, and multiple times had pulled the "you're my best friend, you should respect my decisions" card.

Picking up the call, Annabeth answered, "Hello?"

"Hey." Thalia responded, sounding bored. Annabeth could hear the distant sound of Green Day blasting, probably from Thalia's speakers.

"Hey, what's up?" Annabeth, asked, smiling faintly.

"Oh, nothing. What's up with you, Annie?" Thalia questioned, and Annabeth could hear the smirk on her face. Thalia was the only one who had the right to call her Annie, and Thalia knew it, and loved using the old childhood nickname whenever she could.

Annabeth sighed, wondering she should tell Thalia about what had happened with Luke.  
"Nothing, Luke's been a pain in the ass lately, it's exhausting."

Annabeth could hear Thalia sit up from her bed, her bed creaking. "I can still turn that bastard in, Annabeth. You know I can."

"I know, but you wouldn't. You promised you wouldn't."

"Annie, sometimes promises need to be broken. I need you safe. I mean, how much of a best friend am I to just let you be hurt over and over, and having the power to turn him in, but deciding not to? That bastard needs jail." Thalia's voice suddenly turned hard, and Annabeth knew it was a sensitive topic for her.

These were the conversations that scared Annabeth the most. She knew that whether or not Luke did get caught if turned in, he would kill her after. If he didn't, his bodyguards would.

"Thals, I'm literally begging you, please don't turn him in, I'll do anything. You're my best friend, right? So please, don't. You know how much this means to me." Annabeth said, once again pulling the same card.

She could hear Thalia's tired sigh over the other side of the line. "Annie, I am literally fucking serious. He has absolutely no right to do that. I swear, that if in a week, he doesn't stop, I will turn him in."

Annabeth knew she couldn't argue. "Fine."

"You're going to be alright 'till then, right?" Thalia asked, and that suddenly reminded her of the promise Percy and her had made. She pushed Percy away from her mind, wondering how the hell she could be thinking about him without knowing him at all.

Annabeth smiled. "Of course."

"Alright.." Thalia trailed off, sounding unsure.

"Believe me, I'm stronger than you think, Thals."

"Oh, I'm not underestimating you, Annie."

"Good."

Annabeth could hear the tone of Thalia's change in the next question she asked, kind of like a convincing voice, stretching the words out.

"So...I need a _huge_ favor from you.."

* * *

Percy's P.O.V:

Percy sat on his bed, wondering what had just happened in the last few minutes.

 _Percy rushed into the house, wanting to know what Gabe had wanted to tell him about father._

 _When Percy was seven, he had once asked his mother where his father was._

" _Mommy...my friends were talking about their daddies today. Where's my daddy?" He had asked, hoping to get an answer._

 _Sally had looked at him with sad eyes, tears glistening in her eyes. She had pulled him into a hug, wrapper her arms around him. Percy could smell the faint smell of the blue chocolate chip cookies she had made earlier on her shirt. He buried his face in her shirt, feeling comfortable in his mother's embrace._

" _Oh, my love. Percy...he left." She had told him, pulling away, and looking at him with her gentle brown eyes._

 _Percy had looked at her, confused. "Gone? We need to go find him!" He exclaimed._

 _A tear slipped from his mother's cheek, but she quickly wiped it away. "Honey...we can't."_

 _Percy frowned. "Why not? It's like hide and seek!"_

 _Sally shook her head, tears once again glistening on her face. "No, Percy. It isn't like that. I'll tell you once you get older, I promise. I'll tell you everything." She promised, taking his hand in hers._

 _Percy smiled. "What was he like, mommy?"_

 _Sally sighed, a look of longing in her eyes. She looked outside the window in Percy's room, smiling slightly. "He was amazing, Percy. He was sweet and kind, and he was just incredible. You have his gorgeous eyes, and his messy hair." She said, still smiling, remembering the memories._

" _Did you love him?" 7 year old Percy asked, not sure what to say._

" _Did I love him? I still do."_

 **A/N: Well...you still don't know what Gabe wanted to tell him...but you will, next chapter. I swear. How did you guys like this chapter? I just opened my inbox today, and your reviews? Oh my gods. They absolutely were the best things I could have asked for. Can I just take a moment to thank ALL my reviewers? I don't do this in my chapters, but I think I might start doing it.**

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 **I'm sorry if I didn't include anybody in this..hopefully I'll get to you all. But my gosh, you guys, please just don't tell me this is a dream. 50 follows, 33 reviews, and 21 favorites? I just can't believe this. Thank you so much, you guys! I love each and everyone of you beauties! I really can't tell you how thankful I am! I love you. Oh, and I was wondering if I should make a one-shot on when the demigods in Camp Half-Blood realize Leo isn't dead...I've always wanted to know whether they found out, so I was wondering. Should I? Keep smiling, xxx.**


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

 **A/N: Hey, beauties! How's life? Yes, this is another update (you guys just inspire me way too much, you know?). Stuff's been happening lately, and I just need to write to get it out of my mind right now. But anyways, *raises glass* Here's to my followers, viewers, reviewers and favoritors! I honestly love you guys! I hope you like this chapter, lovelies! Enjoy!**

Annabeth's P.O.V:

"So...I need a _huge_ favor from you," Thalia spoke, stretching the words out, as if hoping to convince Annabeth.

Annabeth raised an eyebrow, looking at the clock, and realizing it was already 1: 45. Somehow, whenever Thalia and Annabeth talked, whether it was physically or just on the phone, time seemed to disappear, "Yeah? What is it?"

"So, well, my dad, Zeus, is hosting this shitty type of party thing and well, everybody needs a date. Literally, everybody. I have no choice and I have to go, because the bastard is my dad. And I, uh, I don't exactly _have_ one," Thalia spoke carefully, and slowly, like she didn't want to finish her sentence.

"What does this have to do with me? Do you want me to get you one, " Annabeth asked, confused on what Thalia was acting all nervous about.

"No. I need you to be my date," Thalia replied, quickly. She spoke so quickly Annabeth barely caught on what she was saying.

Annabeth choked on her spit, "What? Why?"

"Please, Annie. I don't want to go with a random guy," Thalia mumbled the last part, and Annabeth heard the sound of Green Day blasting from her speakers as they were shut off.

"So, you just want to pretend to be lesbian or what?" Annabeth questioned, still not understanding fully what Thalia was asking for.

"Well, you see-," Thalia broke off, hesitant.

"Oh, come on, Thals. Stop hesitating and being nervous. You're my best friend, and whatever you want or need me to help me with, I'll be up with," Annabeth responded, remembering everything Thalia had done for her in the past, including sitting next to her everyday when she was all alone in high school.

"Damn, this is just getting cheesy," Thalia playfully complained, and Annabeth couldn't help but laugh.

"I agree," She said, getting up from her bed and walking over to the window, pushing the curtains aside and staring at the cars passing. She sighed.

"What's wrong?" Thalia sounded concerned.

"It's nothing," Annabeth reassured her, smiling slightly at Thalia's care for her. Even though Thalia seldom showed emotion, Annabeth knew that Thalia was a compassionate person.

"Alright, whatever you say."

"Yeah, let's not get off track. What were you saying about the favor?" Annabeth asked, again. She stared outside the window, looking at the people walking down the city, even though it was late at night.

"I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend." Thalia admitted, nervously.

Again, Annabeth raised her eyebrows. "Your boyfriend?"

"Yeah...It's alright if you don't want to-," Thalia began, but was interrupted by Annabeth.

"Oh, please. Of course I will," Annabeth exclaimed, smiling. She didn't understand why she was suddenly excited for this, but she felt as though it was something important. Dismissing it as being excited to be away from Luke and to feel free, away from Luke, Annabeth let go of the thought.

"Holy shit. You will?" Thalia asked, incredulous.

"Totally! I'm up for it," Annabeth replied, grinning when she heard Thalia sound happier than she had before.

"Oh, dude! I am so thankful for you right now, I can't tell you enough. You had no idea how fucking awkward it would have been if I went with a random guy," Thalia confessed, and Annabeth could tell she was suddenly her old self again.

"If you'd just told me, Thals, I'd have said yes, you know. You had absolutely no reason to be nervous, I'm your best friend and I'd do whatever to make you comfortable," Annabeth said, suddenly realizing she was being cheesy.

"As fucking cheesy as this is, I know," Thalia responded, and Annabeth could practically hear her smiling.

"So, I need a wig, and I need to cover my boobs...and look more manly, right?"

Thalia laughed, "Nice choice of words, Annie."

"Right?" Annabeth asked, grinning.

Thalia chuckled again, "Right."

Suddenly, Annabeth heard Thalia sit up, "Oh, shit. My shift starts in ten minutes, I need to go, Annie. Bye."

A smile twitched at Annabeth's lips at Thalia's antics, "Bye, Thals. Stay safe."

"You too. Slap the bastard for me, and remember what I said. Oh, and by the way, the party just so happens in a week," Thalia said, before hanging up.

Sighing and rolling her eyes, Annabeth shut her phone. "A week? Really, Thals?" She muttered, walking over to her bed, throwing her phone onto the sofa in their bedroom. The clock on her nightstand read 2:13 A.M, and Annabeth's eyelids felt heavy. She crawled over to her bed, and pulled the covers up and closed her eyes.

Suddenly, she heard her phone ringing once again. She recognized the ringtone immediately. Sliding the answer button, Annabeth picked the phone up.

"Oh, I almost forgot. I love you, Annie," Thalia's voice said, before Annabeth could even speak.

Annabeth smiled, "Love you too, Thals."

* * *

Percy's P.O.V:

Irritated, Percy punched the wall, wincing when he pulled back, his knuckles bruised. He remembered what Gabe had told him, and felt like punching the wall, again.

" _I just got a call from some bastard. He said he wanted to see you tomorrow morning at the local Starbucks, or shit. At seven in the morning," Gabe told him, lazily sprawled on the couch, not taking his eyes away from the television and Percy could tell he was leaving out many details._

" _What? Are you sure?" He asked, unsure of whether Gabe was saying was the truth._

 _Gabe turned looked him in the eye, his jaw clenched. "You think I'm lying, kid?" He said, in a deadly voice._

 _That was it. Percy fucking hated that every little thing that he said could be used as a threat with Gabe. "No, I'm not. I was just asking," Percy replied, mentally rolling his eyes._

" _Well, bastard, you didn't have to ask. I wasn't lying." Gabe responded, his breath smelling of beer and cigarettes._

" _Okay. What did he say his name was?" Percy questioned, ignoring Gabe and trying not to gag at the smell._

 _Gabe went back to watching his football game and without looking up again, he replied, "Your father."_

Percy clenched his fists, not wanting to remember. What the hell would his stupid father want from him? Even though Percy had never seen his father, he had formed a negative opinion about him. _He left me for his own fucking needs. He left the woman he loved. He left his family, and because of him, my mom had to marry Gabe. This is all his fault. Why, after 24 years, does he decide to come back? Where the hell was he all this time, anyways?_

Percy stared at the wall above, lost in his thoughts. He had thought about not going, for all he knew, Gabe could have been lying. He had no intention of meeting his father. At all. The bastard could live his life without him, why decide to come in his life now?

He heard his phone ringing, and knew it was Nico calling. Sighing, Percy picked up, not really wanting to take to him, or anybody at the moment.

"Yeah?" Percy asked, rubbing his sore knuckles.

"Well. Hello to you, too," Nico said, sarcastically.

Percy sighed, for about the millionth time today. He took a moment to feel the oxygen leaving his lungs, then answered, "Look, Nico, I'm not really in the mood."

Nico was silent for a couple seconds, then, "What's wrong?"

"Gabe got a call or shit about a man claiming to be my so called 'father', and he supposedly wants to see me tomorrow." Percy responded, in a monotonous voice.

Percy heard Nico whistle lowly, "Damn, Perce. I can come with you, you know."

Percy almost smiled. "Nah, dude. It's fine."

"You sure?" Nico questioned, unsure.

"I'm sure." Percy confirmed. "Sorry for being rude. What did you call me for?"

"It's cool, man. I wish I could help you, and I will try to come tomorrow, whether you want me to or not, you're not going to be alone for whatever shit your dad wants." Nico told him, his stubbornness showing.

"Alright, dude. We'll just have to see tomorrow." Percy said, remembering Nico, who worked for his dad's company, had the whole three weeks off. "What did you call me for, though?"

"Well, you know how we're leaving for San Francisco in like five days? Oh, and before you say shit, Hades talked to the bastard, Gabe, and Gabe said he would let you go, I don't know how or when, but my dad is fucking creepy. " Nico said, and Percy couldn't tell whether that was a good thing or not. "But anyways," he continued, "there's this party we have to go to, and you need to have a date..."

 **A/N: And...there you have it! How was it? I'll have Percabeth meeting in a couple chapters, so don't worry, beauties! You know, when I read fanfiction, I never really thought that one of my stories would be actually liked and half 41 reviews while we were only on chapter 5, and 55 follows and 27 favorites. I never honestly saw myself doing this, and I jut can't believe all this. I can't thank you people enough, you know? I hope that I don't disappoint you with my chapters…**

 **Now, onto the reviews….(I am so sorry once again if I didn't get everybody in this, I really am)**

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 **Let's all take a moment to thank DaughteroftheSeaGod1015 for editing this and making it better than it previously was, thank you!**

 **Once again, I hope you like this! Keep smiling, xxx.**


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

 **A/N: Hiya, beauties! How are you guys? It's another update! Here's to all my viewers, reviewers, followers, and favoritors. I seriously love you guys so much, you know? I appreciate this so much, and can't thank you guys enough.**

 **A HUGE thanks to** **DaughteroftheSeaGod1015 for reviewing this story and making it so much better. Thank you so much!**

 **Anyways, I hope you beauties like this! Enjoy!**

Poseidon's P.O.V:

Poseidon looked around the cafe, resisting the urge to yawn. He had woken up to meet his son, Perseus for the first time. After leaving him and his mother right before Perseus was born, Poseidon couldn't help but be nervous. His son must have been 24 by now. How would he look? Did he have Sally's eyes? Her hair?

 _Sally._ He had left the woman he loved, and each and every day he had regretted it. Being a teenager when Sally had become pregnant with Percy, Poseidon knew that there was no way he could stay in her life and let her be safe with him around. The two had secretly been dating while he had been in a gang. Drug dealing. Every member in the gang had been broke, doing it for the money. Hades, one of Poseidon's best friends in the gangs, had lost all his family members, and had been living with his girlfriend, Maria, both broke and alone. His other friend, Zeus, had been in the gang due to his mom being sick, and he could not afford the hospital bills. When the boss learned about his secret girlfriend, Beryl, he had been kicked out, and forced to let his mother die. There had been only five gang members, and the last two, Ares and Hermes, had been completely against the trio, but yet they were forced to work together. Ares's mother had been killed in a car accident, and his sister was critically ill, along with his wife, Aphrodite. Ares only revealed that much to the gang, quitting once he lost his sister. Hermes's father had been killed in an accident, and Hermes was forced to live in the streets, joining the gang once he joined high school, but quitting when he had gotten his wife pregnant with a son, whom he had named Luke. Almost everybody had left for their loved one, but Poseidon was forced to stay, blackmailed by his boss that if he quit, he would be automatically killed. Once he learned that Sally had been pregnant, he had left her, the day she was in the hospital, no choice left.  
The gang never allowed dating, and Poseidon knew he had to leave her, but he couldn't. He had fallen in love with the brown-haired beauty, and knew he couldn't let her go. Eventually, they had both ended up falling in love with each other, and Sally knew how dangerous it was, yet she stayed with Poseidon.

When Poseidon figured she had become pregnant, he couldn't do anything but leave her. There had never been one day where he didn't regret his decision, leaving the love of his life. Not only that, but he would never be a real father. When Poseidon figured out by one of his managers that Perseus Jackson lived in the very city where he was as of right now, he knew that he that was his son. Sally and him would always talk about naming their son "Perseus", after the Greek hero in the myths, in hopes of him getting his happy ending.

Looking around, Poseidon spotted somebody hunched over in a chair, hood up, covering their face, just a couple feet away from where Poseidon was standing. When he lifted his head up to blow the dark hair away from his eyes, Poseidon was staring into the same sea-green eyes he had.

Poseidon almost dropped his drink. Walking over to the boy, whose eyes indicating he was no older than in his mid-twenties.

"Perseus," Poseidon asked in disbelief.

The boy's head whipped up, his hood falling off. Looking at him closer, Poseidon realized he had his jet black and untameable hair, along with his sea-green eyes.

"Who are you?" The boy asked, looking at Poseidon, with a kind of dark look.

"I believe I am your father," Poseidon answered, carefully, not knowing the boy's reaction.

Perseus's eyes turned dark, his jaw clenched.

"My 'father'? The same one that left me, that left my mother to _die_?," Perseus said, accusingly, his eyes filled with anger.

Poseidon's heart stopped,"Die?"

Perseus glared at him,"Yes, _die."_

Dead? How could his whole world be dead? "H-how?" He stammered, not sure what to think or what to say, all he cared about right now was Sally.

"Cancer," Perseus replied shortly, looking away.

Poseidon couldn't speak. He suddenly remembered a memory of him and Sally, one of his favorites, from back when they were 17.

 _Sally sighed as she laid her head down on Poseidon's chest, staring out into the water._

 _The two were sitting on a small part of land, the water just feet from them, late at night. The city lights shining down onto the water made it suddenly seem like a fairytale._

 _Poseidon smiled and wrapped his arms around her, wishing he could stay with her forever. Even though it was late at night, Poseidon could see that her beautiful brown eyes-the same brown eyes that made up his dreams- were shining in the light, and she was smiling._

" _Sally?" Poseidon asked, his voice muffled due to his head in her hair, smelling the vanilla scent._

" _Hmm," She replied, shifting her body so she could be more comfortable, taking Poseidon's hands in hers._

" _You know how dangerous this is, right?" He questioned her, wanting another confirmation that she would be willing to do this for him._

 _She turned her head to look at him, and through the city lights, he saw her face, and his heart stopped, the way it always did when he saw her._

" _I do," She confirmed, and Poseidon smirked._

" _I do? Wanting to marry me already, huh?" He teased, and his smirk only grew wider when he could see her turn red and flush._

" _Oh shut up, Poseidon. You know that the only person that can make me blush is you, right," She said, winking at him, and once again lacing her hands with his._

 _He grinned again.,"I do."_

Poseidon didn't know what to say. "I'm such a bastard…," he muttered under his breath, his fists clenching. This was all his fault.

Perseus seemed to have heard him. Looking at him, he agreed,"You are."

Poseidon looked at Perseus,"I loved her."

Perseus stared at him in disbelief, as if he would never believe it. "Yeah, right. That's why you left her to raise me all alone, right? That's why you left her, and she had no choice but to marry an abusive bastard that hit her everyday," He asked, sarcastically, his voice rising.

"Perseu-," Poseidon tried to say, but was cut off by his son.

"Do NOT call my Perseus. It's Percy," Percy said, interrupting him, and standing up from his seat. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do than talk to a bastard like you. Don't talk to me again. I hate you."

Percy turned away and started walking down the other side of the road, completely ignoring Poseidon.

"Percy!" Poseidon yelled, going after him, but once he reached the corner of the street, he realized that there was no reason to run after his son.

Percy had already left.

* * *

Annabeth's P.O.V:

"Thalia!" Annabeth laughed as Thalia snatched the dress in Annabeth's hand and thrust it back into the rack it had been on.

The two had gone shopping for Thalia's dress to the party, Thalia, owning zero to none dresses, had forced Annabeth to come with her.

"You know we won't go anywhere if you don't pick a dress," Annabeth told her, sighing. They had been going from store to store for about an hour, Annabeth having to sneak out while Luke was at work to come.

"I don't want to pick a fucking dress," Thalia complained, staring at the dresses in the store in disgust. "All these are shit."

Annabeth saw the lady next to them give them a weird look, and she smiled apologetically, as the woman walked away, completely ignoring Annabeth, and Annabeth heard her mutter, "Teenagers..." under her breath as she left.

Thalia cracked a smile. "What are you? 70 year olds…," She added, shaking her head. "But anyways, Annie, these are all shitty dresses, I'm telling you."

Annabeth snorted, "Of course, the only dress you'd wear would be a dress with chains."

Thalia nodded, seriously, "Duh."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. Even though she was 24, Thalia acted like a child sometimes, which was one of the favorite things about her to Annabeth.

Walking over to another set of dresses, Annabeth heard her phone ring. Checking the caller I.D, Annabeth realized it was her father.

Fredrick never called Annabeth. Suspicious that something was up, Annabeth held a finger up to Thalia, indicating to give her a moment.

Frederick's worried voice came from the other line, "Annabeth, where are you? Come to the hospital, it's your mother. She's been shot."

 **A/N: Cliffhangers! What do you guys think happened to Annabeth's mother? What did you think of Percy and Poseidon meeting? Leave a review, and let me know, beauties! Can you believe we're onto chapter 7? I can't, gods. Before you know it, I'll be done and I'll be wrapping it up...but anyways, onto the reviews!**

 **LucyTheCrazyUnicorn: Yeah! We all love Percabeth!**

 **xoQueenieAox: Haha, no! Here it is!**

 **WaterWarrior60 : Yeah? Well, now you know!**

 **Raccoon1113: Thank you, love!**

 **candycrum :Thank you! Here it is, love!**

 **kaguragrl14: Oh my gods, you don't know how manny times I've read that. And each time, I smiled. Thank you so much, love! I love you!**

 **Guest: Haha, right! Thanks for sticking up for me! 3**

 **Weasel: Lol, hi! Haha, I know you know me, weasel! xD (Go ahead. Blow up my notificationThanks for reviewing, buddy (I love ya)!**

 **JustOneMorePage** **: Haha, awww! Of course you know me, bestie! Thank you so much! I love ya! Thank you so much for reviewing! 3**

 **But guys...again. 51 reviews, 27 favorites and 57 follows? You guys, please don't ever stop being so awesome (not like you'll ever be unawesome, cause all of you are amazing). I hope everybody liked this chapter! Again, thank you to everybody for viewing, reviewing, following, and favoriting this! I really appreciate it, you guys. I may be able to update this week three times..I'm not exactly sure. Keep smiling, xxx.**


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

 **A/N: Hey, lovelies! How are all of you guys? It is indeed another update (When I write, I write, dude)! This is for all my reviewers, viewers, followers, and favoriters. I am seriously so thankful for you guys, you're amazing. Each and every one of you.**

 **Let's again take a moment to thank** **DaughteroftheSeaGod1015, for everything she's done for my story. This chapter couldn't be possible without her. Thank you for being so awesome!**

 **I hope you beauties like this chapter, enjoy!**

Annabeth's P.O.V:

Annabeth dropped the phone, the words echoing in her head. _It's your mother. She's been shot._

Thalia quickly rushed to Annabeth, hearing the sound of the phone drop,"Annabeth? What is it?" She asked, a hint of worry in her voice.

"She's been shot," Annabeth replied, quietly, frozen. "My mother's been shot, Thals." She told her, her grey eyes glistening with tears.

Confused, Thalia picked Annabeth's phone up. "Hello?" She asked, not knowing who it was.

Annabeth faintly heard her dad respond to Thalia, her thoughts racing.

When her dad had stopped speaking, Annabeth saw Thalia's eyes flash. "Alright, she's in the Apollo Hospital, right?"

More muffled noise. Thalia nodded. "Alright, we'll be right there. And don't worry, Mr. Chase, I'll find out who did this."

Thalia shut her phone, and looked straight at Annabeth, her electric blue eyes dark. "Come on, Annie. Let's go."

Thalia dragged Annabeth out of the store, the cashier giving them a weird looking but staying silent, and Thalia got into her car.

She locked her car, Annabeth noticed, all the while with a dark look in her eyes.

It suddenly hit Annabeth. _Luke._ "Thalia, do you think the bastard did this?" Annabeth asked, rage suddenly growing inside of her.

Thalia gave Annabeth a sideways glance, "I don't know, Annie. I swear on my life if he did, I will fucking hunt him down, and he'll be sent to jail. I promise you."

Annabeth couldn't find herself to say anything else but, "No, if he did, I'll be the one hunting him down and killing him."

Thalia didn't say anything, staying silent as she raced through the streets.

Annabeth stared out the window, her thoughts taking over. _If Luke did this, I will fucking kill him. That bastard isn't a king, going around hurting-no shooting people just because of me. Oh god, was this my fault? If I hadn't talked back to him the other day, would he still have done it?_

The thoughts had suddenly turned against her, and Annabeth had to shut her eyes to prevent the tears that had formed in her eyes from falling.

Annabeth hadn't been paying attention, and she jumped when Thalia squeezed her shoulder. "Annie, we're here."

Nodding silently, Annabeth opened the car's door, slamming it shut. Thalia winced, but didn't say anything as the two walked silently to the hospital.

Apollo's hospital was a large building, filled with many windows and cars. The hospital was one of the biggest in San Francisco, and also one of the most professional, For some reason, everytime Annabeth had to visit a hospital, she got dizzy. The smell overwhelmed her, and when Thalia pulled the doors of the hospital open, she felt like fainting. She remembered when she had been here, when Luke had gotten in a car accident, in the first few days of their marriage. Looking back on it, Annabeth suddenly wished she could have snapped his neck in half instead of brought him food and care, something she had never gotten from him.

Thalia walked up to the front desk, while she stayed behind. The room had brown and white chairs all around it, and the place smelled strangely of cinnamon. Fake plants were scattered around the place, making it professional, but also nerve-wrecking for Annabeth. ,Annabeth could faintly hear her talking to the reception lady, whose name, from what Annabeth could make out, read "Amethyst". Annabeth saw Thalia nodding to the reception lady, and her pointing to Annabeth.

The reception lady smiled, and gave Thalia a card. Thalia looked behind her shoulder, and motioned for Annabeth to come. Taking a deep breath, Annabeth walked over to her, and she heard the receptionist tell her, "She'll be alright, honey." as she walked by.

Giving the lady a grateful smile that Annabeth had to force out of her, Thalia grabbed Annabeth arm and walked her towards an elevator. She looked at the card, "Alright, so room 1140. That's on the second floor, I think." Thalia muttered to herself, and Annabeth wrapped her arms around her, suddenly anxious.

She hadn't seen her mother in days, or even weeks. The last time they had seen each other, which was at a dinner party her parents had invited her and Luke to, they had broken out arguing.

 _Annabeth twirled the spaghetti with her fork, not talking, as her dad and Luke talked about business._

 _Annabeth heard Luke laugh, putting his "good guy" facade on. "Of course, Mr. Chase. I honestly couldn't ask for a better wife than Annabeth," Luke said, smiling._

 _Mr. Chase chuckled. "Good. I know I picked the right guy for my daughter."_

 _Hearing that, Annabeth couldn't help but snort. Right, dad. If only you knew._

 _Athena looked at Annabeth, disapprovingly. "Annabeth, don't disrespect your husband like that. You're lucky enough to have married such a wonderful man like Luke."_

 _Annabeth looked at her mother. "I'm not disrespecting anybody."_

 _Athena stared back at her, her grey eyes piercing Annabeth's, "Don't talk back to me, young lady."_

 _Annabeth rolled her eyes. Her day had already been ruined with Luke hitting her, and her mood was terrible. She didn't realize her mother had caught her rolling her eyes._

" _Annabeth Marie Chase. What has been up with you lately? This isn't the disrespectful and ungrateful daughter I raised," Athena spoke, and Annabeth could tell she had gotten both Luke and her dad's attention._

 _Annabeth slammed her hands on the table in exasperation. How was this being disrespectful, when her mom was the one who criticized everything she did. Her day had been bad enough, and her mother was NOT making it any better. "You know what? Forget it. Luke, let's go. I'm not fucking staying here anymore." Annabeth said, grabbing her keys from the table, and standing up._

 _Her mother looked surprised. "Annabeth. Sit down right now, you are not to disrespect me like that." Athena demanded, looking at Annabeth._

 _Annabeth sighed. "No. Luke you can either come with me, or not. I'm not staying with this woman."_

Getting jolted back into reality when she bumped into Thalia, Annabeth cursed. Thalia looked at her, and then back onto the door that she had been standing outside of, which read "Room 1140".

"This is it," Thalia said, and knocked on the door.

Annabeth felt jittery, not knowing what was to come. When the door opened, Annabeth saw her dad, who looked slightly happy to see them.

Fredrick had dark bags under his eyes, and his face was pale. It looked as though he hadn't slept, and his dirty blonde hair was messy, like he had run his hand through it many times.

He motioned for the two to come in, and sighed. Annabeth saw her mother in the hospital bed, tubes and wires attached to her. The sight made her stomach turn. She suddenly felt like throwing up.

"Have a seat, you two," Fredrick said, his voice tired, gesturing to two seats parallel from the hospital bed.

Annabeth sat down on the bed, numb. The thoughts, once again, had came and she couldn't help but blame herself for what had happened.

"How is she?" Annabeth asked softly, and Thalia sat down next to her, squeezing Annabeth's hand in reassurance.

Fredrick made eye contact with Annabeth, and ran his hands through his hair, averting his gaze to his wife, who was on the hospital bed. He looked at her with a sad look, and the faint sound of machines beeping had Annabeth nervous. "She was shot near her heart, and the doctors said they don't know whether she'll be alright or not. They confirmed that she's in a coma."

Hearing those words, Annabeth stopped breathing. "Dad...I never apologized to her." She said, guilt and hatred washing over her, remembering once again what she had said to her mother last. How could she be so fucking stupid? "What if she doesn't make it?" Annabeth choked up, looking at her mother. She remembered her younger days where Athena used to take her to the central park, and the two used to get ice cream together. She remembered the many times her mother used to push her on the swing. Pushing the memories away, Annabeth looked back at her father.

Fredrick looked back to her, and then smiled slightly. "You know, your mother's a strong woman, I know she can make it. After all, she's your mother."

* * *

Percy's P.O.V:

Percy sprinted off, away from his father, ignoring Poseidon shouting his name. Percy rounded near a corner, and stopped, looking behind him. He realized his father didn't follow him, which he was grateful for, considering Percy had the urge to punch him.

Percy had expected that his dad would apologize to him, for leaving him, but of course, that hadn't happened. All he got was Poseidon attempting to tell Percy he loved Sally. Percy couldn't take it anymore, he had bottled all his feelings up, neglection, loneliness, and hurt for his father over the years, and had been spitting it out to him. He knew he had been rude, but it was hard not to be. Looking at his dad for the first time, Percy thought he would have felt something like love for him, but all he felt was hurt. Hurt for him leaving him and his mother, for his own needs. Hurt for him never being there for him as he grew up. Hurt for letting him and Sally live with Gabe, and not once coming to check on them.

Sally had been right, for Poseidon was the exact replica of Percy (but older), with his raven black hair, that was never tidy, and the same sea-green eyes Percy looked at when he looked in the mirror. That had set Percy even more off, considering he looked exactly like the man he had hated for years.

His mind lost in thoughts, Percy didn't notice as he bumped into somebody, and both of them fell onto the concrete.

"Fuck," The person cursed, and when he made he made eye contact with his best friend, he looked surprised. "Percy…?"

Percy quickly looked up in surprise just noticing Nico on the ground before him. "Nico? What are you doing here?" Percy asked, picking himself up, and then holding his hand out for Nico.

Nico frowned, but took his hand, and pulled himself up. "I just lost my dignity," Nico muttered, brushing the dust off his black shirt. "But anyways, I told you, I'd come with you to meet your dad for the first time," Nico replied, looking at Percy.

Percy laughed humorlessly. "A little too late for that."

 **A/N: And...done! What do y'all think? Percy and Annabeth haven't talked lately...but they will, so, stay tuned! Now, onto the reviews!**

 **candycrum** **: I am so glad you like this, love! I hope you liked this!**

 **RavenWarrior50** **: Haha, yes, I do! I'll explain that soon, so just read the note after I finish with the reviews, love!**

 **xxspiritxx: Thank you so much, love! I'm so glad you like this!**

 **LucyTheCrazyUnicorn: Guess you'll have to wait to find out ;)**

 **percabethbooklion: What makes you think Luke did this? )**

 **Witch of Scarlet: Thank you so much, love! You don't know how much this means to me, honestly. Yes, it is life! They will meet, don't worry ;)**

 **Daughter of Olympus 2** **: Thank you, love!**

 **JustOneMorePage** **: xD yass! Thank you! Thanks for reviewing!**

 **Weaselswillrule: Am I an amazing writer or are you just an amazing person? Thank you so much!**

 **Guest: It does, but when I've got such amazing supporters, it doesn't even matter!**

 **thedamsnackbar: Well, what makes you think he'll like her the first time he sees her? Plus, keep in mind he's in San Francisco for three months…**

 **Thank you so much for reading this, and I love you all! Thank you so much for the views, reviews, favorites and follows! You guys are just the best people ever. Siriusly. I love y'all! The party is probably going to be chapter 10, so the next chapter may be short. The party will have 2 parts (like 8,000 words each), so just stay tuned, cause you beauties are in for a lot of drama! Keep smiling, xxx.**


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: Yeah, once again, it's another update! But guys, the story turns a month old in like 4 days….can you believe it? And I can't believe that I have 71 reviews, 72 follows and 36 favorites, and it's been only 9 chapters. I really can't believe this, I swear on the River Styx, I love you guys so much. You know, when I first started this story, I was going to ask that before I ended this, I'd have at least 20 reviews. I just can't thank you beautiful people enough. Siriusly. And...now, onto the chapter! This'll be a bit short because I really have to start working on the party (believe me,** **DaughteroftheSeaGod1015 and I have so many ideas).**

 **A huge thanks to DaughteroftheSeaGod1015, for reviewing this chapter and making it so much better, you're awesome!**

 **Now, onto the story! I hope you beauties like this!**

 _4 Days Later…_

Percy's P.O.V:

Percy gripped the armrests of the airplane, until his knuckles were white. "This is the worst decision I have ever made in my life." He told Nico, who was sitting right next to him in the other chair of the airplane, weakly.

Nico sighed, "Perce, dude, come on. It's just an airplane ride, it's only about six hours, relax."

Percy looked at Nico in disbelief. "Six hours? We're in this hellhole for six freaking hours?" He asked, incredulous. "We could die in here!" He almost shouted, receiving glares from the people around him.

When Percy had agreed to go with Nico and Hades to San Francisco, he didn't know it meant to get on an airplane. _An airplane._ The things that scared the shit out of Percy more than anything. Percy wished he could go back to New York, and get off the thing that could possibly end his life.

Nico looked at Percy, a look of both annoyance and humor on his face, "Look, I get that it may seem terrifying for you, but before my dad rips your head off, don't freak out."

Percy shut his eyes, fear running through his veins. He remembered his mother telling him that his grandparents had died in an airplane crash, and since then Percy had hated airplanes. The fact that the random bumps and jolts of the plane shook the whole interior didn't help Percy's nausea. He had purposely pushed Nico into the window seat, refusing to even take a glance outside.

" _Attention: We are about to take off. Please put your seatbelts on, and turn off your wifi of any device you may be carrying as of right now. Thank you."_ The attendant's voice ran through the whole plane, and with shaking hands, Percy put on his seatbelt.

Looking at Nico, he saw his best friend give him a somewhat encouraging look, and Percy tried to smile back, but failed, wishing he could be on the safe ground again.

Not even three minutes later, the plane jolted, and Percy almost lost it. Nausea was already bubbling in his stomach, and the plane had barely started. Shutting his eyes tight, Percy tried to forget everything around him. Trying to take his mind off of the fact that he could be on a killer machine, he let his thoughts wander off to Annabeth. Percy suddenly remembered their conversation from the morning, only minutes before Nico had forced Percy to leave for the airport.

 **GreenEyes: Hey :)**

 _Annabeth had replied instantly, and Percy couldn't help but smile when she did._

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Hey, it's been a while.**

 **GreenEyes: Hasn't it? So, how are you?**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: I feel terrible. How are you, Percy?**

 _Even though it was strange, Percy felt a burst of a warm feeling he was never familiar with when he saw that Annabeth remembered his name._

 **GreenEyes: What's wrong, Annabeth?**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: It doesn't matter, so how are you, Percy?**

 **GreenEyes: Of course it matters! What's wrong?**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: So, how are you?**

 **GreenEyes: Really, Annabeth?**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Percy, I just don't feel like talking about it right now.**

 **GreenEyes: Alright, sorry, but you know you're my friend, and you can tell me anything.**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Thanks, I know. The same goes for you. :)**

 **GreenEyes: Thanks :) To answer your previous question, I'm absolutely terrified. I have to get on a plane soon. I'm gonna die.**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: That's ridiculous. Why would you die?**

 **GreenEyes: PLANES ARE EVIL.**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Ah, fear of flying?**

 **GreenEyes: No. Fear of airplanes.**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Hey, well, I get that. I have arachnophobia.**

 **GreenEyes: So, what if I were to throw a spider at you?**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Shut the hell up.**

 **GreenEyes: ;)**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: I don't like you.**

 **GreenEyes: You love me.**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Yeah.**

 **GreenEyes: What?**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Crap, I meant "Yeah right", sorry. I guess it got deleted.**

 **GreenEyes: Yeah, right. But I'm going to die. What if the plane goes up in fire?**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: The only thing going up in fire is your dignity.**

 **GreenEyes: Mean.**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Just kidding, but there's honestly nothing to be afraid of. And you've got me rooting for you. Where are you going, though?**

 **GreenEyes: San Francisco.**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Haha, that's where I live :p**

 **GreenEyes: Maybe I'll see you, then. I have to go, the flight, also known as the cause for my death, is in two hours, and I have to leave. Nice talking to you, again. Don't forget your promise, by the way.**

 **the-grey-eyed-girl: Oh, you'll do fine. I know it. And you remember your promise, too. Stay safe.**

 **GreenEyes: You too.**

"Percy!" Percy awoke to Nico shaking him awake. Percy hadn't realized he fell asleep, and the fact that he had been dreaming about Annabeth confused him. How had he remembered everything she said?

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and coming to his senses, he heard muffled sounds of people getting up and talking, "What is it?"

Nico almost smiled, "You slept through the whole six hours of the flight. Say goodbye to New York and hello to San Francisco, we've arrived."

* * *

Annabeth's P.O.V:

Annabeth set down her card, grinning. "I win," She said, looking at Thalia, who was sitting across from her.

Annabeth had invited Thalia over while Luke was at work, and the two had spent three hours eating ice-cream, playing Uno, and watching Netflix. Annabeth knew that Thalia was trying to keep her mind off of her mother, and she appreciated it. Athena was still in a coma, and nothing had changed in the past few days. Fredrick hadn't slept for days, and Annabeth couldn't stay at the hospital, her dad refusing to let her stay.

The last time she had seen her mother, which was yesterday, she had also seen Fredrick, who looked as tired as hell, his eyes having very noticeable bags under them, his eyes tired and full of worry, his messy hair that he repeatedly ran his hand through when he was stressed, and his face full of stubble, like he hadn't shaved in days. Annabeth was no better, barely sleeping and eating.

Even though Annabeth didn't feel like doing anything, Thalia had made sure she was there whenever she could be, coming right after she finished work. Annabeth had already told Thalia that she would go to the party, Annabeth having picked a knee-length grey one-shoulder dress that matched her eyes, with a belt around it, making it simple yet beautiful. Thalia had picked a black dress that was sleeveless and simple, but had decided to throw her leather cardigan over it, refusing to go without it. The party was at seven in the night, and Annabeth knew it meant a lot to Thalia of her agreeing to go. Currently, it was nine in the morning, and Annabeth and Thalia had to go get ready in a salon at two. Annabeth had convinced Luke to let her go, using blackmail. Thalia and the officers had still not figured what happened and who had shot Athena, but Annabeth was sure it had to do with Luke.

Whenever the topic was brought up, Luke would pretend to not know what had happened, but considering that when Athena had been shot, Luke was still not home, Annabeth could make a pretty good guess. The only thing that prevented Annabeth from not lunging at Luke whenever she saw him was the fact that her mother would disapprove. Even though the last time she had seen Athena it didn't seem as though Annabeth cared about what her mother approved of or not, Annabeth decided to atleast get some evidence before making assumptions, just as her mother had taught her.

Looking at Thalia, Annabeth saw, with amusement, that her best friend had her eyebrows scrunched and was frowning at the stack of cards in front of them. "This game is stupi-," Thalia tried to say, but was interrupted by the sound of the front door banging open, and Luke barging in the living room.

Not noticing Thalia, Luke glared at Annabeth. "What the hell is wrong with you?" He shouted, looking at Annabeth with icy eyes.

Quickly glancing at Thalia, who was looking at Luke with pure hatred, Annabeth mentally took a deep breath and calmly replied, "What do you mean?"

It seemed as though Luke had noticed Thalia just then, and he dropped all signs of him yelling, and put on a nervous smile. Ignoring Annabeth's question, he said, "Oh, hey, Thalia. Didn't notice you."

Thalia got up from the floor, and looked at Luke. "What the hell? You have no fucking right to go up to your own wife and be so fucking rude to her, and treat her as if she's nothing. Does your messed up mind even understand the fact that the only reason you have clean clothes and are eating is because of your wife? Don't and I repeat, _don't_ go around thinking you own this house, because you don't. You don't own her. You hear me? You. Don't. Own. Her. This isn't the Luke I used to know. This isn't the Luke I WANT to know," Thalia ranted, venom leaking from her voice.

Annabeth stared at Thalia in surprise. Being used to Luke's actions, she wasn't too insulted when he had came in, but apparently, Thalia was.

Luke looked at Thalia, incredulous. "Thals, relax. I didn't mean it," He tried, but obviously, Thalia wasn't buying it.

Annabeth saw Thalia's eyes flash. "Don't call me Thals. Fuck you, you ignorant bastard."

Luke's eyes became clouded with something Annabeth assumed as hurt, and his jaw was set in a straight line. Annabeth didn't understand why he was acting the way he was acting. When he opened his mouth to say something, Thalia cut him off, once again.

"And Annabeth," Thalia continued, "Annabeth. She is amazing, and you are so fucking lucky to have married her. She does your work, she cooks for you, makes sure you're stupid ass is comfortable, and she goes and puts up with an asshole like you, she says you'll change, you'll stop hurting her. Even on top of all that, she lets you hurt her. She lets you hit her, destroy happiness for _your_ filthy benefit. I'll say it again, you are so lucky to have married her. Yet you go around treating her like your _superior?_ Luke Alexander Castallen, may I ask you a question? Who on earth do you fucking think you _are?"_

Luke didn't look at Thalia, instead chose to look at the ground like a child who had been scolded. Something that Annabeth couldn't figure out lingered in his eyes. Sadness? Pain? Longing? This wasn't the Luke that Annabeth had ever seen..

"Who do I think I am," He repeated, staring up at Thalia, who looked back at him, her electric eyes dark, "Who do I think I am? I think I'm the man in love with you, Thalia Grace."

 **A/N: Guys, I'm so sorry I haven't updated in so long. This isn't the longest chapter, so I apologize. Technical difficulties. And my (beautiful) beta hasn't been feeling the best, either. This week's been a busy week, but summer's started, so I get more time to write! Can you guys believe this story is almost a month old? I honestly can't. I hope you beauties liked this chapter. Now, before I say anything else...onto the reviews!**

 **LucyTheCrazyUnicorn** **: Haha, yeah! Yay! And don't worry, love, they will meet next chapter! Stay tuned!**

 **percabethbooklion: Did I come off as rude? I didn't mean to, love. I guess you'll have to** **wait and see what happens! Thank you for leaving a review!**

 **Guest: This means so much to me! This review literally made me smile for like fifteen minutes. I'm so glad you like it! You're right, it will be a convergence point, with Nico, Leo, Calypso, Thalia, Will, Poseidon, Hades, Zeus and everybody else! I'm so excited to write it! Stay tuned!**

 **DaughteroftheSeaGod1015** **: Drama! Lol, yeah! You already know what's coming, though xD and thanks for reviewing, I appreciate it so much!**

 **candycrum: I'm glad you liked this! My pleasure, love!**

 **weasleswillrule: Haha, indeed, you are awesome! I'm so happy you think that, weasel! Thanks for reviewing, dude, it's appreciated!**

 **ophsroo: I agree! Luke is the worse! I can't wait to write Percy being in San Francisco! That's cool, I've always wanted to go to San Francisco. I hope you have fun there, love! Travel safely.**

 **thedamsnackbar: Thank you so much, love! This means so much to me!**

 **Abooknerdandproud: I'm so glad you think so, love!**

 **JustOneMorePage: Friend! No, you and your stories are amazing, and I love you, too! Thank you so much for reviewing!**

 **Again, I want to thank everybody who's read, reviewed, favorited, and/or followed my story. It honestly means so much that so many beautiful people like my story, you guys don't even know. The next chapter might be up in a couple days (if my computer stops being an ass), so stay tuned and be prepared for drama! I love you all! Keep smiling, xxx.**


	11. Chapter 10 (Part 1)

**A/N: Hey, lovelies! How are you guys? I guess I finally got time to write this. I literally have a list of what's going to take place, and I'll just let my heart write away.**

 **But before I get to anything else…*raises glass* Here's to all my amazing and absolutely beautiful viewers, reviewers, followers and favoritors! This story wouldn't be where it is without you beautiful people, I'm not even lying. You guys are amazing and the best readers I could have ever asked for, you know that? You guys should know that, and until I write the very last word of this story, I will never stop reminding you guys how amazing you are and how much I'm grateful for you.**

 **Second, it's the chapter y'all have been waiting for...the party! This'll have two parts, so don't worry.**

 **A huge thanks to my somewhat beta, DaughteroftheSeaGod1015** **, for going through this and making it better! I love you, and this couldn't be possible without you!**

 **I'll stop...I bet you guys just wanna read this already, (or I hope you do) so go ahead, my lovelies! I hope you beautiful people like this!**

Annabeth P.O.V:

Thalia groaned as Annabeth shoved her dress towards her. "Thalia, we have to go to the salon in literally half an hour. Go and change before we're late."

Thalia's dress was a gorgeous midnight blue dress that showed off her electric eyes. The dress was made from pure silk, and it was knee-length, black lace decorated along it. A silver belt was around the waist, bringing Thalia's eyes out even more. Annabeth could tell that it fit Thalia's slender frame well, and it was the perfect dress for her.

"Fine," Thalia said, as grabbed the dress and groaning all the way she went and locked herself in one of the rooms, slamming the door shut.

Annabeth's lips twitched into a small smile as she watched Thalia act like a little kid.

Annabeth and Thalia had been at Thalia's house. After the episode with Thalia and Luke, Annabeth had been dragged by Thalia to her house, where she lived alone. Annabeth could still remember what had happened after Luke had confessed his feelings towards her.

" _Who do I think I am," He repeated, staring up at Thalia, who looked back at him, her electric eyes dark, "Who do I think I am? I think I'm the man in love with you, Thalia Grace."_

 _Annabeth felt a pang go through her as she heard those words. She knew it wasn't jealousy, so what could it be? Anger? Hurt?_

 _Standing perfectly still, Annabeth looked at Thalia, who looked shocked. Annabeth knew Luke and Thalia had history, but she didn't know whether Thalia still had the feelings for Luke. From what Annabeth could tell, it seemed as though it was the the two of them in the room, both completely ignoring Annabeth._

 _Thalia laughed, coldly. "Yeah? You love me, huh? Well, let me tell you something, bastard. After almost a year of hurting my best friend, I couldn't care less about you. Dating Rachel, yet you love me? Married to Annabeth, yet you love me? I don't call that love. I call that patheticness, bastard."_

 _Luke shut his eyes, like he was trying to forget something. When he opened them, he spoke in a desperate voice, "Thals, listen to me-,"_

 _Thalia didn't let him finish. Stepping towards him, she slapped him across the face, hard. Annabeth could hear the sound echo throughout all the room, and she winced. When Thalia slapped somebody, she slapped them._

 _Luke backed away, holding his cheek, which was now turning red. He stared at Thalia in disbelief. "What the hell?"_

 _Thalia looked back at Annabeth, who was staring at her, her own eyes filled with surprise. "Don't what the hell me, bastard. That's for being an ass." With that, she kicked him where it hurt, with her leather combat boots, and Luke fell onto the floor, groaning in pain. "That's for hurting people around you, and treating them like shit." Thalia spit on his face, hitting his cheek. "And that, bastard, is for hurting my best friend."_

 _Annabeth stared at Thalia, wondering why she had done what she did. Thalia turned to Annabeth, and smiled faintly. She took one more disgusted look at Luke, and came towards Annabeth._

" _Come on, Annie," Thalia said, "We have a party to get ready for,"_

 _Annabeth smiled at Thalia, and Thalia winked at her in return. "Alright." Strangely, Annabeth felt happy. Happy that Thalia stood up for Annabeth. Happy that Thalia gave Luke what he so badly needed. But most importantly, happy she had a best friend like Thalia to support her._

 _Together, the two walked towards the door, but before they left, Thalia looked back at Luke, who was laying on the floor, clutching his groin. She smiled bitterly at him. "Oh, and one more thing," She said, "Fuck you."_

Annabeth jarred back into reality once she heard the door unlock, and Thalia walked out, frowning. She looked down onto her dress, "What the hell is with the tightness? I swear.." She muttered under her breath, adjusting her dress in comfort.

Annabeth grinned. "Thals, you look gorgeous." And it was true, the dress fit absolutely perfectly on Thalia, and it made her electric eyes stand out.

"Yeah, yeah," Thalia said, rolling her eyes. "You're so damn lucky you don't have to wear a dress."

Annabeth raised her eyebrow, "And dressing up as a guy is any better?"

Thalia grinned. "Oh, yeah. At least you don't have to look all girly." Thalia shuddered, and then looked as if she remembered something, "We have to get your hair done, remember? Plus, don't forget the padding."

Annabeth laughed, "Especially the padding."

"Hey," Thalia suddenly said, "I'll be back in just a second," With that, Thalia looked over her shoulder, as if suddenly was paranoid, and she left the room, and Annabeth guessed she had went into the kitchen.

Sighing, Annabeth sat down in one of the couches in the room they were in. Annabeth knew it was an extra bedroom, yet, Thalia had kept all her supplies, and by supplies, Annabeth meant her converse and numerous Green Day and My Chemical Romance posters. There was a simple sofa against one of the walls, and other than that and the simple bed on the side, the room was completely furniture-less. Annabeth's head hurt from all the thoughts dancing in her head, each daring to overcome her.

 _Did Luke really love Thalia? If he loved her, why did he marry her? Why was he going out with Rachel? Was he still the one who had shot Athena? Was he hiding something? Would he be willing to abuse her again after what Thalia had done? Would Thalia turn him in? Did she return the feelings he had for her, if he had any? Who did he really love? Why was he messing with everybody? What was the purpose of getting married to Annabeth, when he loved Thalia or Rachel? Where was Rachel all this time?_

With a jolt, Annabeth came back into reality. She realized that it Thalia had not yet returned from the kitchen, and she decided to go check what was keeping her so long. When she entered the kitchen, she saw Thalia standing near the counter, her hands clinging onto the marble edge, knuckles white. Thalia's back was turned to Annabeth, but Annabeth ld see her taking deep breaths with her chest heaving.

Concerned at Thalia's actions, Annabeth asked, "Thals? What's wrong?"

Thalia's eyes flew open, and her fists unclenched. She turned to face Annabeth, attempting to smile. "Oh, nothing. Why?"

Annabeth narrowed her eyes, and came closer towards Thalia. "Thalia, don't lie to me. I'm your best friend, tell me what's wrong."

Again, Thalia put on a smile. Although, knowing Thalia, Annabeth didn't buy it. Thalia could fake a smile, and it could fool everybody around her, but not Annabeth.

"Annie," Thalia said, "I'm telling you, it's honestly nothing."

"Didn't look like nothing," Annabeth countered, looking at Thalia. "Don't lie."

Looking at the clock on the wall, Thalia said, "Oh, look! We have to go, our appointment starts in five minutes."

A thought hit Annabeth. "Wait," She told Thalia, grabbing her by the arm as she tried to walk by, "is this about Luke?"

Thalia looked surprised. "No!" She exclaimed, a little too quickly.

Annabeth raised her eyebrows, as Thalia practically dashed out of the room, and went to grab her purse.

"I thought you weren't going to wear it." Annabeth told her, suspicious on Thalia's sudden change of behavior.

"Oh," Thalia remembered, "Right." Dropping the purse, she looked back at Annabeth,

"Come on, let's go."

Annabeth sighed, "Fine. We aren't done talking about this, though."

"We'll see about that,"

 _Two hours later...\_

Annabeth and Thalia were sitting on a couch in Thalia's apartment, both just having came back from the salon.

Thalia had gotten her nails done jet black, the only color she would let the lady do her nails. They stood out brightly, and her hair was down. The salonist had tried many times to straighten Thalia's hair, but it had refused, and the stylist had just sprayed water and let her choppy hair tumble down, just over her shoulders, in messy waves. Annabeth thought, that with the dress, she looked beautiful.

Annabeth, herself, had padded her boobs, making sure they weren't visible. She was wearing a casual yet fancy type button up grey shirt, with a black tie. She had awkwardly put on boxers, due to Thalia telling her she would look more "manly" and then squeezed on dress pants. The stylist, named Aphrodite, had simply laughed when Thalia told her that Annabeth had to dress up as a boy, her eyes twinkling.

 _Aphrodite laughed. A laugh that lit up the whole room, her gorgeous kaleidoscope eyes shining. She smiled at Annabeth, and adjusted her beautiful and silky blonde hair, said, "You know, I met my soulmate at a fashion show, where he pretended to be a model." She laughed again, and her eyes sparkled as she remembered the memory._

 _Thalia snorted. "Great."_

 _Annabeth nudged her, but Aphrodite chuckled, as she separated portions of Thalia's hair. "I'm just telling you, girls. You never know what's going to happen, the best things happen are the most unexpected things. But I'll tell you ladies something I've always told my two daughters, Piper and Drew. If you do find love, follow your heart. Don't say things like, 'It's not real.' Or 'This isn't supposed to happen.' Well, I'll give you something you should remember about love. It's not 'This Wasn't Supposed to Happen,' rather 'This was supposed to happen, because it's the unexpected that changes lives,' Keep that in mind."_

 _Thalia snorted, again. "Woman, are you our stylist or our therapist?"_

Annabeth couldn't get those words out of her head, _It's not "This Wasn't Supposed to Happen," rather "This was supposed to happen, because it's the unexpected that changes lives,"_ The words echoed in her head, and she couldn't stop thinking about those words.

Awkwardly adjusting her shirt, Annabeth sighed. "Thals? When do we have to leave for this, anyways?" She asked, looking at Thalia, who was lost in thought, not paying attention.

Thalia looked as though she had been jarred back into reality.

"Uh," Thalia said, looking at the clock, "Oh. Yeah, we were supposed to leave like ten minutes ago..."

* * *

Percy's P.O.V:

Percy stared outside the window as Nico's limousine driver drove to the mansion that the party was going to be in. Percy had no idea why the party meant so much to Nico's dad, Hades. Yet, he was still excited to go, and he could tell Nico was, too.

Percy knew why Nico was happy. He was going to meet the guy he had been crushing on and even dating for eight weeks, for the first time. Percy remembered Nico telling him about Will, and Percy could practically see his eyes shining with happiness. Percy knew that Hades was homophobic, and he could understand how much of a risk it would be to see Will, but Percy was glad Nico would take it. After everything Nico had been through, Nico had deserved his happily ever after, and Percy was not afraid to support him.

Even though Percy knew why Nico was excited, he didn't know why he was. Sure, it was a party that would have drinks, but that didn't even spark Percy's reason to be excited. Percy didn't have a date, meaning he would have to find one before the dance started. The dance would be at the very end, with all the couples dancing on the dance floor. Percy didn't know why Hades had to go to the party in the first place. When he had asked Nico, Nico told him that Hades wanted to make sure of something, and both Percy and Nico knew not to question Hades.

Percy hadn't talked to Gabe in days, ever since the day he went to San Francisco, and he still couldn't understand why Gabe let him go. He didn't dare bring it up to Gabe, considering Gabe would just use it as an excuse to hit him again, for "questioning" him. Although, he couldn't help but be a little anxious of to why Gabe was acting like this, and why he smirked at Percy when he thought he wasn't looking.

Ignoring the sinking feeling in his stomach when he thought about Gabe, Percy didn't let his thoughts wander off to Gabe as he continued to look out the window.

He stared at the lights that passed by. Suddenly, something his mother used to tell him echoed in his mind. _Life's flashing right before your eyes,t. Don't let your fears decide how you live your life, it's too short._ Sally used to tell him that as she tucked him in as a five year old, and even though Percy didn't understand what she had meant 19 years ago, he did now. As he watched the people, families, mothers, teenagers, fathers, he wondered how many people hid their broken hearts, away from the rest of the world. He wondered how many other people were faking behind a smile, and how many people wanted freedom.

He felt a jab in his ribs, and realized it was Nico, poking him. "Get your head out of the clouds, and your ass up, 'cause we're here," He told Percy. Nico was wearing a black suit, completely black, except for the shirt under the coat, which had just a little bit of white, and a black tie, with black dress pants. Nico had refused to wear anything other than his converse. Although, Percy was wearing a suit with a sea-green tie, which he had been told by Hades that it brought out his eyes. He had borrowed one of Nico's suits and shoes, which Hades had forced him to buy when they first moved in San Francisco (but had been too big for Nico), and had gotten the tie from a store, years ago.

The limo, -which was very unnecessary, considering there were only three people going- came to a stop, and when Nico and Hades, who had been sitting right in next to him got up, Percy repeated the motion.

When they walked out, Percy saw an enormous mansion. The place had a large wall in the front, and elegant windows surrounding the front wall, sparkling stairs leading their way up to the door, which, itself, looked about several hundred dollars, for it was transparent and had a gorgeous silver lining around it. Percy could see it glinting, and there were other roofs on top of roofs, with a large triangular wall, which Percy assumed was the attic. He looked at Nico, who was gaping at the mansion, in disbelief.

"Damn," Nico said, "We're going _here?_ "

Hades nodded, silently, It seemed like he never said anything until possible. He started walking, and Percy and Nico followed.

"So," Percy nudged Nico, "Ready to meet Will?"

Nico blushed a light red, "Yeah."

Percy chuckled, "I'll have to approve of him first, you know. I can't have my little Nico dating other guys and possibly getting intimate with them without my permission."

This time, Nico blushed a furious red, adding color to his pale face. "Shut up."

"Fine," Percy said, amusement dancing in his eyes.

"Come on, we gotta catch up," Nico said, seeing that Hades was already at their doorway, and had rung the doorbell. The two raced just fast enough to be there when the door opened, by a boy who looked no younger than Percy and Nico. He had dark curly hair, and he looked scrawny. His skin was a cinnamon color, and he was grinning. Percy knew that grin, the troublemaker grin he had had for years during high school. Something about the boy made Percy uneasy.

"Hola! I'm Leo. Come on inside, before I lock you guys out." He told them, opening the door wider. Looking inside, Percy could see the floor, which was made from pure marble, glittering.

Hades grunted, and muttered something to Nico, before going inside and going somewhere Percy didn't know. Percy and Nico went inside, and Percy's jaw dropped when he saw the interior. The mansion had an enormous staircase in the middle of the room, with two other staircases swirling around it, both leading to other places. There was a chandelier in the middle of the ceiling, shining brightly with candles, and the smell of vanilla was in the air. Doors were everywhere under the staircase, all going different places. There were people crowded amongst all the rooms, and Percy didn't know where to go.

Looking beside him, Percy realized Nico had left, and cursing under his breath, Percy set off to find him, not wanting to be alone.

Walking around the mansion, Percy entered what seemed like the kitchen. The kitchen had hardwood cabinets around the walls, and a large granite counter in the middle, which took up half of the floor. There were mini tables all around the place, with two fancy chairs each, flowers on each table. A transparent sink was at the end of the kitchen, and there were windows in front of it, and Percy could faintly see the view of green and lush plants around the outside of the mansion. A small chandelier hung from the center of the wall, adding a beautiful glow to the place.

People were crowded around the sink, and there were couples sitting in the chairs, and everywhere, people were talking. Percy spotted some teenagers sitting on one of the mini table, and standing off to the side with them, he spotted Nico's dark hair. Breathing a sigh of relief, Percy went over to Nico, wondering why Nico had left them in the first place.

When he reached Nico, he saw the two teenagers sitting on the table more clearly. There was a girl with choppy brown hair and her eyes seemed to be changing colors, like a kaleidoscope. She was sitting across from a boy with blonde hair and electric blue eyes, and they seemed to be talking to Nico, who was grinning.

Coming behind Nico, Percy tapped him behind the shoulder, and they all turned to him, and Nico started introducing him.

"I thought you would follow me," Nico muttered to Percy, making sure the others couldn't hear.

Percy shrugged, not having heard Nico.

Rolling his eyes, Nico said, "Oh, and this is my cousin, Piper, and her boyfriend, Jason. Piper and Jason, this is Percy, my best friend."

The girl, Piper, smiled. "Hi!" She said, kindly, and Percy couldn't help but smile back at her.

"Hey," The guy, Jason, said, with a friendly smile, just like Piper.

Jason looked like an all american boy, with his blonde hair and electrifying blue eyes, and a good guy. Piper looked like a model with her choppy yet beautiful hair, and her gorgeous eyes. Even though he had just met them, Percy could tell they were a good couple.

"Nice to meet you," Percy replied, smiling slightly.

Suddenly, a girl with electrifying blue eyes and dark black hair came up to them. She had the same blue eyes as Jason, Percy noticed.

The girl, who Percy also noticed was wearing a midnight blue dress, smirked at Jason. "Hiya, little brother. Long time no see."

Jason chuckled, and stood up. "Same to you, Thals,"

Jason looked like he suddenly remembered something, "Oh, yeah. Guys, this is Thalia, my sister."

"Older sister," Thalia remarked, smirking again.

Rolling his eyes, Jason stood up, and Percy saw that he was taller than Thalia, even though he was younger. "Now, come on, give your brother a hug."

Thalia pretended to gag. "I don't do hugs."

Jason grinned, "So, you got a date?"

Thalia nodded. "Yeah, she's somewhere here, I think."

Jason raised an eyebrow, "She?"

Thalia quickly corrected herself, "He."

"I'd love to meet him," Jason said, "You know, just to make sure."

Thalia rolled her eyes, "Yeah, we-,"

Suddenly, somebody with blonde hair came rushing towards Thalia, and it looked like the person was panting.

Percy felt an unrecognizable spark go through him.

The person, who Percy saw was a man, looked at Thalia, who grinned at him, "Thals! Where the hell did you go?"

"Not my fault you didn't follow me," Thalia told him, smirking.

The person sighed, "Whatever,"

Thalia grinned at him. "Oh, this is my date," She told Jason, and Percy suddenly felt a urge to throw up when he heard that. Yet, he didn't understand why.

Jason looked at him, his eyebrow raised, up and down, and Percy saw Piper roll her eyes at his behavior, grinning.

Thalia's date smiled, "Hey."

"I like him," Jason announced, "For now."

Again, Thalia rolled her eyes. "His name's Anna-Andrew." Thalia said, and Percy noticed Andrew breath a sigh of relief, but Percy didn't know why.

Piper smiled at him, "Hey, nice to meet you, I'm Piper."

Andrew smiled back, "Nice to meet you, too."

"I'm Jason, Thalia's brother," Jason declared, and Andrew laughed.

"I can tell," He said, "Nice to meet you, Jason."

"Nico," Nico told him, shortly.

Andrew nodded, not saying anything.

Then his gaze turned to Percy, and Percy was momentarily mesmerized by his grey eyes. Their gazes locked for a minute, before Andrew cleared his throat.

Percy realized he should introduce himself, "I'm Percy Jackson, a pleasure to meet you."

Percy saw Andrew form his name silently on his lips, but then he smiled at Percy, and held his hand out, which he hadn't done for the others.

"Andrew Chase," Andrew told him, and Percy suddenly thought he knew somebody with the last name of Chase, but he brushed it off.

Percy smiled at him, and they shook hands.

A spark spread throughout Percy's whole body when they touched.

 **A/N: And, that's the end of part one! This didn't turn out like I expected it to, but I might have three parts to this chapter, so don't worry. I did try to write fast, and I stayed up till three to finish this, just for you guys, so I really, REALLY hope you like this! Before I go onto anything else, it's time for the reviews…**

 **DaughteroftheSeaGod1015: Yeah, xD Evil! And yeah, thanks :)**

 **HispanicThug** **: You don't know how much your reviews made me smile, my goodness. Thank you so much, love!**

 **Bia: Haha, I bet you didn't! Thank you so much, I hope you like this chapter, love!**

 **PUGA1414** **: Haha, I'm glad I surprised you!**

 **AutumnLeaves03: Oh she didn't just slap him, haha xD**

 **GreekWhiteWolf** **: Don't worry, they won't be poor for long! Also, I wouldn't exactly say that, but thank you for sticking up for me, love! Don't worry, I don't think I'll abandon this story anytime soon!**

 **WaterWarrior60** **: Haha, that didn't happen, but do you think he got what he deserves?**

 **percabethbooklion: Yes! Lol :) Thank you for reviewing, love!**

 **ophsroo: Anytime, love! Is he lying? I guess you'll have to wait and find out ;) Thank you so much, love!**

 **candycrum** **: Haha, did you? This means so much to me, you don't even know. Reviews like this make me smile, thank you so much!**

 **Darthrath: Lol, yeah! Thank you so much, love! I hope you liked this chapter, too!**

 **LucyTheCrazyUnicorn** **: Haha, surprised you, didn't it?**

 **Guest: Thank you! I am continuing this, just for you amazing people!**

 **Guest: It seemed to have surprised many people :) and thank you so much, that mean so much to me, love!**

 **SolangeloShipper 14 23: I don't mean to come off as rude, but you don't have to demand me to update this story, you know. I do try to update as fast as I can for you guys. And also, thank you for the comment, but I can name at least a hundred stories better than mine, if you want to compliment my story, you shouldn't insult the stories that other people have written, too.**

 **And, that's it! I honestly get so many reviews telling me this story is amazing and that I'm an amazing writer, but honestly, you people are the amazing ones. I stop breathing when I read your kind reviews, I swear. You guys, I'm so glad you like this story, all I wanted when I posted this story wasn't attention, I wanted people to like this story and enjoy reading it, and you guys are so much more than I could ever ask for. I can't describe how thankful I am for you guys, seriously. I love each and every single one of you, and you guys motivate me so much. I hope you guys liked this chapter, and I may be slow at updating the next month in July, but I might get to sneak in a couple updates, so stay tuned.**

 **Also, don't be afraid to PM me, I love meeting and getting to know my followers more :)**

 **Anyways, I hope each and every single one of you have an amazing day that is as beautiful as you are! Keep smiling, xxx.**


	12. Author's Note

**This isn't an update, it's just an authors note. No, I'm not discontinuing this story, but I may not update this month, I might or might not. Things are going on, and I may not have time. I'm just letting you guys know right now, but please, don't think I'm giving up on this. TWSH is my life, and I won't discontinue it. Also, you guys, don't give up on this, either, alright? I swear I will update in August or September. A lot, I'll make up for it, but I guess, as of right now, it's kinda goodbye, for a bit. Now, before you shut this author note, I want you to tell yourself your beautiful. Right now. Say it, and truly mean it. I dare you. I triple dog dare you guys. Did you say it? Keep smiling, lovelies, xxx.**


	13. Chapter 10 (Part 2)

**A/N: Hi! How are you guys? I'm so sorry. I truly am, I bet I'm a terrible writer to you guys now...I'm so sorry. I just had to take a little break, honestly you guys, I apologize. I hope you guys haven't forgotten this story (I mean, if you did, you wouldn't be reading this). Anyways, I'm over excited, guess why? WE'VE FUCKING HIT 100 REVIEWS. Oh my lord, you guys, I can't believe this. Holy Poseidon. Holy Hephaestus** _ **. HOLY HERA.**_ **Mars Almighty. Seriously? I absolutely freaking love you guys, I literally had kinda tears in my eyes when I read your amazing reviews, and they're just so important to me and the fact that you guys actually like this story, and when we hit 100? It was like, it was like the best thing ever. 100 reviews in 11 chapters? I'm dead. THANK YOU SO MUCH! *hugs all of you till you can't breath***

 ***raises glass* Here's to all of you beautiful people that have reviewed, viewed, favorited, and followed this story! I love you guys so much!**

 **A special thanks to the absolutely amazing and wonderful DaughteroftheSeaGod1015 for making this chapter so much better and for giving me the inspiration I so badly needed, thank you!**

 **I worked hard on this chapter, so I honestly hope you guys will like it (don't worry, by the way, Percabeth WILL happen soon, I swear on the River Styx). Enjoy!**

Annabeth's P.O.V:

When Percy shook her hand, Annabeth felt an electric current go through her whole body. She was staring at his green eyes, his gorgeous eyes. Was it the same Percy Jackson she had met through Whisper? It made sense, considering his username was "GreenEyes" and Annabeth was looking into his (sexy) green eyes. Didn't he say he was coming to San Francisco? Annabeth thought it was coincidental, but doubted it.

When she first saw Percy, her heart rate sped up, and when he grinned at her, she felt like melting. This wasn't the usual Annabeth, yet she couldn't stop the feeling. Even though Percy was a complete stranger (well, not exactly), Annabeth felt a spark towards him, an attraction she wasn't familiar with.

When the dark haired boy, Nico, Annabeth remembered, cleared his throat, Annabeth realized her hand was still locked with Percy's.

Blushing from embarrassment, Annabeth quickly let go, and she saw Percy do the same. From the corner of her eye, Annabeth saw Thalia give her a suspicious look, and Annabeth flushed even more.

"Okay, so anyways," Thalia said, looking at Percy and Annabeth weirdly, "You guys wanna ditch this place?"

Jason raised his eyebrows, "As in leave?"

Thalia rolled her eyes, "No shit."

Annabeth saw Piper give her a strange look, with a faint smile, and then look at Percy. She winked at Annabeth.

"Percy!" Annabeth heard a girl shout, and she saw her run up to Percy, and Annabeth was immediately shocked at her beauty before anything else. She had cinnamon colored hair that was styled perfectly in a braid, and her almond eyes were absolutely stunning. The girl was wearing a floor-length Greek styled dress, with gold earrings and gold bangles. Her dress fit her perfectly, and she wore a silver belt around her waist. Annabeth felt a pang go through her. Was this Percy's date?

"Oh, hey, Calypso," Percy replied, wrapping his arm around her waist, "Guys, this is Calypso, my date." He said, and Calypso smiled shyly.

Of course.

"Hey, I'm Piper," Piper told her, smiling.

"Nico." Nico said, the same way he greeted Annabeth.

"Jason, nice to meet you," Jason said, with a friendly smile.

"'Sup? I'm Thalia," Thalia said, "Jason's _older_ sister." She added, smirking.

Jason rolled his eyes, and Calypso grinned, and Annabeth noticed her teeth, just like everything else about her, were perfect.

Annabeth realized it was her turn. "I'm Andrew Chase, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Calypso smiled, "It's nice to meet you guys, too."

"So as I was saying," Thalia continued, "You guys want to leave this place?"

"Hold on, are we something like a group now?" Nico asked, but to Annabeth it seemed as though he was looking for someone.

Percy shrugged. "Guess so."

"I don't see why not," Piper said, looking around, "I don't think there are many other teenagers here, just people that work for Zeus, most likely. Though, I did see another blonde boy looking for somebody, I don't necessarily remember…" Piper trailed off, into her own thoughts.

Nico's head shot up. "What?"

Piper looked surprised, "What?"

"Did you, did you get his name?" Nico asked, and Annabeth saw that he suddenly seemed different, different in a way she couldn't tell. Happier, or more on guard?

Piper shrugged and looked at Nico questionly, "I'm not sure, why?"

Annabeth saw Percy grin and nudge Nico. "Would his name have been Will?"

Who was Will?

"Actually," Calypso interrupted, a cold look in her eyes, "There's also somebody named Leo, and his girlfriend," She spat, her voice laced with disgust.

Thalia raised an eyebrow, " You mean that scrawny guy with curly hair?"

"Hey," Jason interrupted, "That's my best friend you're talking about."

Thalia rolled her eyes, "You have the weirdest friends, Jace."

Jason grinned. "I know."

Calypso looked towards at Thalia, "Yes."

Thalia shook her head, "Man, he was annoying, what was his name? Leo Valdez, right?"

"Leo Valdez," Calypso confirmed, nodding.

"Somebody call me?" A head popped from between Percy and Calypso, and Calypso shrieked and let go of Percy.

The boy, who Annabeth noticed had messed up and curly hair with dark brown eyes, grinned at Calypso, and he pulled his head out and walked over to her. Annabeth noticed that everybody, Thalia, her, Percy, Nico, and Calypso were all crowded around Piper and Jason's table.

"Didn't know you'd be here, Sunshine," Leo told her, a spark of amusement in his eyes. His smirk made Annabeth uneasy, and she felt the need to make sure nothing had gone missing.

Calypso glared at him, "Don't call me 'Sunshine'."

Leo raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

She glared at him, and Leo flinched, "Fine, fine."

Then, Leo saw Percy, and his arms around Calypso's waist, "Is this your boyfriend?"

Annabeth could sense that Leo had a thing for Calypso by the way his jaw clenched when Calypso nodded.

"Yeah, this is Percy," Calypso said, an evil smirk on her face.

Annabeth noticed everybody in the group was watching them, Jason with his eyebrows raised, Piper looking at Calypso intently, Thalia smirking at the two, Percy looking at Leo with confusion, and Nico just simply watching them without any emotion.

"Wait," Thalia said, "Why are random people just bursting out of nowhere? There's this enormous mansion, and then you find us? How did you find us, anyways?"

Calypso and Leo's gazing were locked, and once Thalia spoke, they broke apart, yet Annabeth saw Leo's eyes wandering towards Leo for a split second before she caught Annabeth looking. Blushing, she looked away.

Leo winked at Thalia. "Sparky's dad," Leo said, nodding towards Jason, who shook his head.

"You are one of a kind, Leo," Jason said, a smile on his lips when he looked at his best friend.

Leo smirked, "I know."

Calypso snorted.

Before another argument could break out between Leo and Calypso, Thalia spoke up.

"So," She said, "Since apparently we all are a group now, can we please ditch this place? I don't want to stay here any longer. I shouldn't have came here in the first place," She added, muttering under her breath quietly, and Annabeth was the only one that the last part.

Annabeth didn't understand why Thalia all of a sudden wanted to leave. Annabeth noticed Thalia giving the place weird looks, and she sitting remembered why. Thalia had told her when they were younger, that her mother had abused her in this home, where they used to live.

Before Thalia ran away, which was at twelve years old, her mother used to be abusive towards her. She remembered Thalia telling her she would never come to the house again. Oh, shit. Of course this struck hard to Thalia, and Annabeth suddenly, Annabeth understood why.

"Yeah," Annabeth said, "I'd like to leave, too."

Thalia shot her a grateful smile.

Jason stood up, and Annabeth guessed he saw the sad look lingering behind Thalia's eyes. Thalia rarely showed emotion, but when she did, Jason was the first person to notice, "Yeah, I'd love to leave." He stood up and smiled at Piper, who got up and nodded.

"I hate this place," Piper stated, and Jason whispered something in her ear, which made her smile and nod, again.

With Piper and Jason, and Percy and Calypso, Annabeth felt strangely left out with all the couple stuff. Luke had never, ever looked at Annabeth the way Jason looked at Piper. He never treated her as nice and Percy treated Calypso. Annabeth felt envious for the couples, and wished she could have the love they had in her relationship.

Brushing it off, she turned to Percy and offered him a smile. "You coming?"

"Sure," Percy said and he returned the smile.

Calypso agreed, smiling. "Why not?"

Percy turned to Nico, "Are you going?"

Nico raised his eyebrows, and Annabeth realized he had been silent the entire time. "Where?"

Jason looked and smiled at Nico, "I have this place near the beach about an hour away from here, I guess we can go there, there's also a cabin I own."

Thalia raised her eyebrows, "You sure we'd fit in the car and the cabin?"

Jason chuckled, "My car's a ten seater, remember? I think we can fit. And for the cabin, yeah. Five beds with each sex."

Nico shrugged, "I'm not really sur-"

Percy cut him off, "Come on, Nico."

Nico looked around, "I'm waiting for somebody,"

Percy's expression changed, "Nico, if he wanted to come, wouldn't he have, already?" He said under his breath, yet Annabeth heard it, due to being close to him.

Nico muttered something incomprehensible, and Percy nodded.

"Alright," Nico said, a little hesitantly, "I'm in."

Annabeth noticed Leo standing off to the side, looking down on the floor with an unreadable expression.

Annabeth felt bad for the boy, even though she barely knew him. Sadness lingered in his eyes, yet he put on a huge grin when Thalia asked him, "Hey, Mr. Scrawny? Would you like to go, too?"

"Wait," Calypso said, looking at Leo with her eyes narrowed, "I thought you had a date?"

"Didn't know you cared so much, Sunshine," Leo grinned, his eyes sparkling.

Calypso's cheeks tinted a light pink, "I don't."

"Sure," Leo said, wiggling his eyebrows, "But yeah. As long as I sit with you." He winked again, and Thalia gagged.

"You wish, Valdez,"

* * *

"Piper, for the love of god, please change the radio," Thalia from the back of the car as a song that was unrecognizable played from the radio.

Jason and Piper were sitting in the front, Nico alone, Calypso also sitting alone, deciding to. Annabeth and Percy were forced to sit together, and Thalia and Leo were forced to sit together in the very back. Normally, Annabeth would have laughed at Thalia misery, but she was too busy blushing over the fact that her shoulder was brushing against Percy's.

Percy grinned as Jason looked behind his shoulder and said, "Oh, louder? Alright, Thals,"

Thalia groaned and suck back in her chair, "Why do you love to torture me?"

Jason just grinned.

Thalia groaned again, stretching it out. Reaching inside her shirt, she pulled her phone out, along with her ear-buds. When everybody was staring at her, she grinned. "What?"  
Leo stared at her, "You just took that out of your bra."  
Annabeth saw Calypso roll her eyes and look back outside, her face emotionless.  
Thalia shrugged, "And?"  
Leo shook his head, not saying anything.  
Thalia stuck her ear-buds in, music blasting out, which indicated the conversation was over.

She felt somebody nudge her, and saw it was Percy. When she gave him a questioning look, he said, "Do you think Calypso and Leo have a thing going on?"  
Annabeth nodded, relieved she wasn't the only one who thought that. She looked at Calypso, who seemed to be glaring at the window, and Leo, who was trying to get Thalia's attention, yet stealing glances at Calypso.  
"I bet they do," She said, feeling a warmth go through her when Percy adjusted in his seat, brushing his thigh against hers.  
Percy sighed and looked her, "Do you ever wish for a happy ending?"  
"Yeah," Annabeth said, "But I believe we should make ours instead of wait for it to happen."  
Percy's gaze lingered a little longer at Annabeth, "Yeah? What if we can't make one due to all we've experienced?"  
Annabeth looked back at him, "You have the ability to make it. The things you've experienced, they don't have to stay the present. They can become a bad memory, but you have the power to flip your life around and change it for the best. Whatever your experiencing and going through right now doesn't have to stay reality, you can change it."  
Percy looked startled, and Annabeth realized how cheesy she had sounded. Blushing, she quickly muttered an apology.  
Percy smiled, "Are you kidding? Man, that was the best thing I've heard. You're something alright, Andrew. I'll keep those words in mind."  
Annabeth smiled up at him, strangely flattered that Percy had complimented her. "So, tell me more about yourself, Percy."

Why not get to know him?  
Percy looked outside for a moment, then turned back to her, "I'm not sure what to tell, what would you like to know?"  
Annabeth shrugged, "Anything."  
A small smile danced on Percy's lips. "Well, I like the ocean."  
Annabeth couldn't help it. She grinned at Percy's answer, "Nice."  
"What kind of stuff do you like?" Percy asked.  
You. "Oh, architecture," Annabeth said, as smoothly as she could.  
"Oh, I know this girl I met, I remember her telling me she was into architecture, also, Annabeth, I think her name was." Percy responded absentmindedly, and Annabeth's eyes widened.  
How'd he remember that?  
Annabeth tried to act cool and collected when she said, "Yeah? Who's Annabeth?"  
Percy nodded. "She's a friend I met online. She's fascinating, really,"  
Annabeth felt her heart flutter. "Is she?"  
He nodded, again, seeming to be in his own world, his eyes twinkling.

Annabeth couldn't help it, before she could stop herself, she blurted, "How did you and Calypso get together?"

Percy turned to look at her, his gaze questioning, "Why?"

Way to go, Annabeth.

Trying not to come off as a stalker, Annabeth shrugged. "Just wondering."

Percy smiled faintly before saying, "We aren't really dating,"

Annabeth shot up from her seat, "You aren't?"

Percy watched her with a weird look, and she blushed.

"No," Percy said, amusement dancing in his eyes, "We aren't. She didn't have a date when I first saw her, and I didn't either, so we decided to go as friends."

A wave of relief went through Annabeth as she heard those words, and her heart suddenly felt lighter. He wasn't dating her.

What the hell, Annabeth? You're dressed as a boy, and the person you've met just a couple hours ago is sitting next to you, thinking you're a boy. There is absolutely no way-

Shit. A thought suddenly hit Annabeth, if they were really going to a cabin, like Jason had said, would Annabeth have to stay with the guys? And if there was water, or a beach, would she have to get into swim-wear, where everybody could see she wasn't a guy? The thought hit her and she suddenly felt anxiety bubbling up in her stomach, making her feel nauseous.

"Andrew?" Percy asked, looking concerned, "Are you alright?"

Annabeth felt herself get back into reality. Straightening up for no reason, she smiled, "Yeah."

Percy raised his eyebrows, looking unsure, "You sure? You looked like you were going to faint."

"I'm fine," Annabeth assured him, flattered by his concern.

Percy looked unsure, "Whatever you say."

Annabeth smiled at him.

Smiling back, he asked, "So how did you meet Thalia?"

Fuck. "Uh, well, we met in high school and started dating a couple weeks ago,"

"Oh, cool." Percy said, his tone suddenly different, yet Annabeth couldn't figure it out.

Suddenly, the car came to a sudden stop, and Annabeth had to brace herself against the seat to prevent herself from hitting the seat in front of her.

"Get the hell off of me!" Annabeth heard Thalia shout, and she turned to see that Leo had toppled on top of Thalia, his face just inches away from hers.

Leo quickly got up, his face red.

Muttering something under her breath, Thalia looked at Jason, who had stopped the engine, "What's wrong?"

Jason smiled at her, "We're here."

"Oh, thank god," Calypso said, getting up and fixing her dress, careful not to her her head against the roof of the car. She looked at Leo and Thalia, as they got up.

Annabeth didn't understand why Calypso was so eager to leave, but nonetheless, just as everybody else got up, she did, too.

When everybody was out, Annabeth looked around. She realized that Jason had taken them to a beach, where the Golden Gate Bridge was clearly visible. The waves came in crashing, and the sky was a dull grey, making it seem as though it would rain, yet Annabeth thought it looked beautiful.

Pointing to a cabin in the distance, where there were plenty of trees, Jason said, "That's where we will be staying, there's our cabin a little bit more into the trees-"

"For how long? We have to get back to the party before anybody notices we're gone," Piper interrupted, looking down on her dress, "Plus, all the girls are wearing dresses, so, that doesn't exactly put us in any condition to go swimming."

Jason shrugged, completely cool. "My cabin has extra clothes in it, and there's a shop anyways for clothes, I'm sure I could get the girls something there, and Zeus won't really care if we're gone or not, it isn't like they'll notice, though."

Even though Annabeth knew it wasn't the best idea to go to the beach with a bunch of strangers you had met only hours ago, she thought Jason was a pretty good person. After all, he had decided to take them here, even though it was his own party.

"So I can finally take this shit off?" Thalia asked, indicating to her dress, with a frown.

Leo suddenly opened his mouth to say something, but Thalia glared, "Keep your mouth shut, Valdez."

"He doesn't seem to know how to do that," Calypso muttered, fixing her own dress.

Annabeth saw Leo roll his eyes.

"So, are we going to go to the beach or what? Cause I have to say, Jace, pretty nice idea," Thalia said.

"Let's change first, I guess," Jason said, and Annabeth suddenly saw Nico, who was once again, not showing emotion and standing off to the side. She thought about going up to him, feeling bad for him, but before she could, Percy interrupted her.

With his eyes twinkling, he said, "Race you guys to the cabin?"

Thalia smirked, "You are so on."

Leo shrugged, "Why not?"

Calypso and Piper grinned, "Sure."

Nico cracked a small smile, barely noticeable that Annabeth nearly missed it, "I guess."

A smile twitched at Jason's lips as he said, "Guess I'm winning."

Annabeth snorted, "Sure, let's see."

"Okay," Percy grinned, fixing his suit. "One, two, three, go!"

With that, all of them set off, running towards the woods, grinning and laughing as though they were teenagers again, ignoring the weird looks they got from the other people, the sand getting thrown everywhere, and the waves crashing behind them.

* * *

Percy's P.O.V:

Percy laughed as Leo fell face flat onto the sand in the beach, spitting out sand. They were close to the water, and when the wave came in, it fell upon Leo, who got drenched, spitting out water.

The group had all found extra clothes, Piper wearing a light pink and oversized t-shirt with jeans, Calypso with a blue shirt and leggings, and Thalia with a dark black shirt and ripped jeans (the only thing she would wear). All the girls, Percy noticed seemed to have messed their hair up, because Calypso had taken her hair out of her braid, making it flow, Piper had taken hers out of her bun, pulling it up in a ponytail, and Thalia had just dumped water on hers, getting it soaked.

Andrew, who looked extremely uncomfortable in his grey t-shirt and black jeans, had refused to wear shorts, and Percy didn't understand why, he thought that the grey t-shirt brought out Andrew's mesmerizing grey eyes, and even though he didn't want to think it, he did. Somehow, he was attracted to this boy.

Percy himself was shirtless with shorts, and caught Andrew stealing a glance him, but then blushing when he caught Percy looking. Nico was wearing his usual long sleeved and black shirt, with his dark jeans, even in the sun, making his skin look paler. Jason was wearing a sleeveless blue shirt, with shorts, Leo being shirtless with shorts.

Thalia snorted, "Nice one, Valdez."  
Leo grinned up at her before pushing himself up, letting out a sigh for exaggeration, "I know, right? I'm awesome."

Thalia rolled her eyes, as Piper grinned. "Come on guys, let's go into the water."

Okay!" Leo said enthusiasm clearly in his voice, and he jumped into the water, Piper and Jason following, laughing.

"Andrew and I have something to discuss," Thalia said, grabbing Andrew by his arm and dragging him towards a place where large rocks were gathered, for people to sit on.

Jason nodded, and Calypso muttered an excuse to have to use the bathroom, and disappeared, tears forming in her eyes.

Piper, looking confused, nodded at Jason and gestured to Calypso, and when he nodded, Piper followed Calypso, running to catch up to her.

Looking back at Nico, Percy asked, "You coming?"

But he noticed Nico was staring at something else, somebody else. Looking where Nico's gaze was, Percy saw a couple, just a couple yards away boy with blonde hair and blue eyes with a girl who had auburn hair and blue eyes, and together they were laughing, walking along the side of the beach.

"Is that-," Percy said, but broke off, not wanting to jump to conclusions.

"That's Will," Nico said quietly, his eyebrows scrunched together, looking at the couple.

"I thought he was coming to the party," Percy said, confused, "And that you two were dating?"  
"I thought so, too," Nico muttered, still looking at the two couple laughing together. Percy saw the girl give Will a kiss on the cheek before she ran to across the other side of the beach, where two other girls were lying down, tanning, even though Percy saw no point in it, considering the sun wasn't even out  
Will laughed as he looked around the beach, and when his gaze reached Nico, his eyes widened. He started coming closer to Nico, "Nico? Is that you?"  
When he reached Nico and Percy, he looked excited, "Nico?"  
Nico looked at him, expressionless. "Do I know you?"  
The excitement in Will's eyes disappeared, just like the smile on his face. "It's me, Will. Don't act like you don't know me, Nico. What's wrong?"

Nico sighed, "You said you'd come to the party." He stated, his voice monotonous.  
Will looked confused, "I did, go. I didn't find you."  
Nico laughed humorlessly, "Oh, I bet you didn't even look. All you wanted was to hang out with your girlfriend at the beach." He spat, looking at Will with a cold look in his eyes.  
Percy felt like he was interrupting, but neither Nico nor Will acknowledged Percy's presence, both too busy staring at each other.

"What girlfriend?" Will asked, incredulous.  
Nico glared at him, "Don't lie. Who was that girl that kissed you on your cheek?"  
Realization hit Will, and he started laughing silently, which Percy could see confused Nico. "Lou Ellen? That's my sister! She forced me to go with her because she hasn't gotten her license and her friends needed a ride. Plus I thought you didn't come to the party so I left." Will calmed down, "You know I'm gay, I want you, Nico, not anybody else."  
"Holy shit, you are so cheesy," Nico replied, yet his eyes were twinkling like Percy had never seen before. "I didn't think we'd meet like this, though. This is kinda weird, but who cares? You are so much hotter in person, by the way,"  
Whatever Will was going to say next was muffled when suddenly, Nico tackled Will to the floor, and smashed his lips against his.

Percy heard Jason and Piper cheering, along with Leo and Calypso. When Percy looked, he saw Jason and Piper coming towards them, grinning, their shirts soaked with water, and Leo and Calypso, although keeping their distance, smiling.

Will and Nico suddenly broke apart, both blushing. Nico stood up, and stretched his arm out, which Will took, his eyes sparkling.

"Are these your friends?" Will asked, his hair messed up.

Percy saw Piper grin, "Oh my gods, this is the boyfriend you always talk about?"

Nico flushed, but nonetheless nodded.

Will looked amused, "You talk about me?"

Piper nodded, laughing, "Oh, you two are so cute together!" She exclaimed, her eyes shining.

Jason chuckled, "We get it, Pipes,"

All of a sudden, Percy was blinded by a purple light, and blinking, he saw the others had were surprised, too.

"Will! Come on, there's a storm, we have to get home!" The auburn haired girl shouted, from a distance, her friends scrambling to get up as rain came pouring down.

Nico smiled, something Percy rarely saw, "I guess you have to go."  
Will nodded, "I guess I have to."

The two stared at each other before Nico reached up and gave Will a quick kiss to which Piper squealed to, even as the rain soaked all of them.

Will winked. "Ill see you around," He said, before he ran off to his sisters, who were waiting for him.

Nico turned to Piper, Jason, Leo, Calypso and Percy, just as Andrew and Thalia came up to them.

"Where'd you go?" Piper asked them, and Percy saw Thalia nod, but say nothing, to which Piper left alone.

"Shouldn't we go inside?" Leo asked, "As much as I want to dance, I'm cold."

Jason sighed, "Yeah, let's go." He got a glint in his eyes, "Anyone up for another race?"

* * *

"Any luck?" Percy asked Jason, coming from their cabin room to Jason, who was pacing around the living room, checking his phone for weather alerts, even though it was no use.

The interior of the cabin was beautiful, the living room with two sofas parallel to each other, able to turn into beds. The living room wasn't too large, yet it wasn't too small, with three tiny windows and a transparent door to the patio. Percy guessed Jason came here often and kept it clean, looking at the stainless counters in the kitchen, and the sparkling hardwood floor. A bathroom was at the end of a hallway, which was also not dirty, instead incredibly clean. Percy had never seen something as clean as the cabin before, having lived with Gabe almost all his life. On one side of the hallway, there was a large bedroom that had a small closet with five beds, two bunk beds and one single bed, on the very edge. On the other side of the hallway, which was decorated with landscapes, a door led to the girl's room, which the girls strictly locked, refusing to let the boys enter.

Jason shook his head. Percy heard the ground shake yet again as another rumble of thunder shook the ground as lightning struck in the distance, illuminating the living room, giving everybody in the room a glow.

"They said the storms going to get even more severe, until tomorrow evening," Jason said tiredly, throwing his phone onto the sofa nearby.

Calypso and Piper were sitting on the sofa, their legs crossed, Andrew and Thalia sitting on the floor. Nico and Leo were sitting on the floor, also, as Percy and Jason were standing up.

Thalia looked outside, "There is no fucking way we leave with the weather at like 3 in the morning, right now."

"Does this mea-," Leo started, but was interrupted by Jason.

"Yeah.," Jason said, "We're stuck here for the night."

 **A/N: And...there's it! Okay, I know I was on hiatus, and said I wouldn't update, but dear god you guys mean the world to me, you know that? When things go terrible at my house, I write to get away from it, (which is why I update so fast sometimes), and I just, everything's been terrible lately to the point where I feel like breaking down, but you know what? You guys are so inspirational, and you help me so much more than you could EVER imagine. I'll shut up with my worthless problems. Anyways, I hope you amazing people liked this chapter, I really hope you did. Was it OOC? Did I rush things? Let me know, alright? I'd love to hear what you guys think of this. But, over a hundred, over a hundred reviews and follows? Oh my gosh, I can't thank you guys enough, honestly. Knowing you amazing people actually want to read what I write..it's so unbelievable. Thank you guys, thank you! I love you guys so much, you know that? Don't ever forget it. I'll never let you.**

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 **I decided to reply to the reviews for my author's notes cause you guys were just so nice, so here we go (I guess)!**

 **theartnerd333: Oh lord, thank you! It means so much to me that you will stay with this story, even if I don't update for a while! Being nice to my readers, that's honestly the least I could do, since they're so nice and patient with me, and I love them, so of course! :)**

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 **BeckR** **: Well, jump in this, love! I hoped you liked this! I'm sorry for making you wait..things haven't been the best lately, but I am trying to not let it get to me and continue writing!**

 **LucyTheCrazyUnicorn: Here it is! :) I hope you liked it!**

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 **And, that's the end with the reviews! But guys, before anything else…#LoveWins. I was literally grinning, and still am. I'm so fucking happy, and it is about time, and I just needed to share this with you guys cause I'm happy! It's absolutely amazing, don't you guys think? Finally.**

 **Anyways, again, I hoped you liked this chapter, and for those of you reading "Broken", my updates may be slow on that, I didn't expect it to be a story but since it has so many followers, I guess I'll make it one. Percabeth will come soon in TWSH, so stay tuned, and stay safe! I love you all, keep smiling, xxx.**


	14. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

 **A/N: Hi! How are you lovelies? It's another update of TWSH! I hope you guys like this. Enjoy, my lovelies!**

Annabeth groaned as she woke up to the sound of her phone ringing, the constant noise making all her hopes of sleeping go away.

Before leaving the party, Annabeth had taken her phone with her just in case she got any news on her mother, who was still in a coma.  
Annabeth was ended up sleeping with the guys in their room in the cabin, which was the worst thing she had ever done.

When all of them, except Percy, had taken their shirts off as if it were absolutely nothing and routine for them, Annabeth's cheeks burned at the fact that she was in a room with almost all shirtless guys.

She had asked him why he hadn't took his shirt off, but all be did was shrug and say he was fine. Annabeth knew it wasn't her business, but couldn't shake the feeling that Percy was hiding something off.

Annabeth refused to take her shirt off, saying she felt uncomfortable and cold. However, when Jason informed her that it was approximately 104° outside, she realized just how stupid her excuses were. Still, somehow they bought it, and Annabeth was stuck sweating the whole night, just to keep her cover.

Annabeth was lying in one of the bunk beds, in the lower one. In the top was Percy, who Annabeth noticed, drooled from when she woke up with his droll right next to her, having falling from his mouth, and onto her pillow.

Jason and Leo also shared a bunk, Jason on the top bed and Leo on the bottom bed. Annabeth couldn't help but notice that everything from Jason's sheets to his hair while he slept, while Leo's mouth was wide open and snoring, the sheets having fallen off. Even though Jason and Leo were polar opposites, she could tell they were incredibly close best friends.

Nico had wordlessly gone to the single bed, and Annabeth couldn't help but feel sad for him. He seemed to be broken, like something was missing. But Annabeth saw when he saw Will, which Piper had told Thalia all about, who told Annabeth.

Looking around, Annabeth saw all the guys were still asleep, and the digital clock on the nightstand told Annabeth it was almost seven in the morning.  
She pulled her phone from underneath her pillow, from where she left it the night before, and checked the caller I.D.  
Luke.

Annabeth felt like throwing up after reading his name. She hadn't seen him the day Thalia had kicked him, and quite frankly, she was praying she would never see him again. She had a feeling he had to do with the shooting of her mother, and even though there had been no evidence of who had caused the shooting, she couldn't brush the feeling off. The officers were searching, but had discovered no proof it was Luke.

Annabeth thought about not picking up the call, hating to hear Luke's voice. Although, she wanted to see what the bastard would want to say to her.  
Picking her phone up, Annabeth answered, "Hello?"

It wasn't Luke's voice that came from the other line, "Annabeth Chase?" The voice was gruff and low, and Annabeth suddenly felt uneasy.

"Yes?" She asked, wondering where the hell Luke was and who was talking to her on the other line.

"We have found a possible suspect that may have shot your mother," The voice responded, and Annabeth's heart rate sped up. How did the person know about her mother?

Pulling her covers aside, Annabeth got up and quietly opened the door while the others were sleeping. She went to the bathroom, where she locked herself and making sure nobody could hear her, she responded, "Who?"

The voice chuckled, as if something were funny. Ignoring her question, the voice said, "Your husband will inform you of the address. We await your presence."

Annabeth raised her eyebrow. What the hell? "What do you-"

Before she could finish, the line went dead.

The person had hung up.

* * *

"Annie, it's not safe! What am I telling you?" Thalia exclaimed, throwing her hands up.

They had came back from the cabin an hour ago, promising to spend more time together later on. Annabeth had agreed for Jason to drop her off at Thalia's, not wanting to deal with Luke.

Annabeth told Thalia immediately about the phone call, and Thalia had suddenly became different and more protective, trying to convince Annabeth not to go.

"She's in the fucking hospital, Thals. I need to know who shot-"

Thalia leaned against the wall, having stood up. "What makes you think they know?"

Annabeth was silent for a moment, then, "They said they had him. If Luke has the address, then they must-"

Once again, Thalia cut her off, "Why do you think it's safe?"

Annabeth threw her hands up. "Will you stop? Look, my mom's been shot. If you're mom was shot, won't you want to discover who shot her?"

Annabeth knew she said the wrong thing. Thalia's eyes turned cold and she narrowed her eyes. "Don't bring my mom into this. And also,maybe I would, but I still think you should let the officers know, and I will tell them, you know."

Annabeth shut her eyes and took a deep breath, before opening them again, "Don't tell the police, I can handle this myself."

Thalia raised her eyebrow, "Yeah? Just like you thought you could handle yourself when you married Luke?"

Annabeth glared at her, "I'm handling myself perfectly well with Luke."

Annabeth remembered their conversation at the beach, where Thalia dragged Annabeth to the side near the rocks.

Apparently, Thalia had seen one of her old bruises that Luke had given her that wasn't blended in well with the foundation Annabeth used to cover up her scars. Thalia had confronted Annabeth about it, angrily.

Thalia snorted. "Perfectly well? Then explain the bruise I saw the other day."

"That," Annabeth said, "was something you weren't supposed to see."

"Oh," Thalia said, smiling bitterly at Annabeth, "I did anyways."

"Thals, if you will just-" Annabeth started, exasperation coloring her tone, but was cut off by Thalia laughing coldly.

"Just what?" She asked, "Watch my best friend get hurt over and over again, and not do anything at all about it when I clearly can? I've given it too much time, and it still hasn't stopped. I'm not letting anything else happen to you."

Annabeth knew she was right, but was persistent. "If you really cared about me, then you'd let me do this."

Thalia rolled her eyes, "And possibly get yourself hurt?"

Annabeth groaned, and again, took a deep breath to calm herself down. "I won't get hurt, and if I do, then you have every right to tell me 'I told you so' over and over again. I swear. And also, I want to know what's been going on and why all this happened in the first place. You won't stop me."

Thalia sighed. "Annie, I don't need you getting hurt. I can handle this, believe me. It's my job to keep you safe, and I will try my best to do that."

"I am safe," Annabeth assured her, "Don't worry."

"You're not." Thalia stated as if it were the most obvious

"How do you know?" Annabeth questioned, anger suddenly sparked inside of her, why couldn't she trust her?

"Because, I know you," Thalia replied plainly and Annabeth suddenly exploded at her.

"You don't know anything about me," Annabeth told her, glaring at her, "If you can't trust me on this, then fine. I don't care, Thals. I don't need your permission."

Thalia suddenly stopped leaning against the wall, her eyes dark. "You're being fucking stupid!" She raised her voice, making Annabeth shrink back a bit, "Can you stop being so fucking irrational for once? All you do is deny the fact that you're being abused! Not everything's about you!"

Annabeth stared at her with a look that said, "what the hell?". She stood up, "If everything was about me, I wouldn't be stuck with an abusive husband, a mother in a coma, and a best friend like you!" She shouted back, and for a second, Thalia's eyes flashed with hurt.

"Fine," Thalia said quietly, "Then get out my house."

"My pleasure." Annabeth retorted and before Thalia could respond, Annabeth walked over to the door and swung it open.

Leaving, Annabeth slammed the door shut, ignoring Thalia calling after her.

* * *

Percy's P.O.V:

"Fuck you," Nico muttered as Percy ran over his character and hit him with a red shell, resulting in Nico being last place in the game.

Hades rented a room for Nico and Percy in an hotel called "Mount Olympus", and having nothing else to do, they decided to look around. One of the workers had offered an old Wii somebody had left behind, and when they plugged it all in, immediately, they chose the game Mario Kart.

Percy picked the stage where he knew Nico would fail most at,

Nico had the wheel while Percy was using just the Wii remote, having trouble controlling it.

Percy grinned. "You just can't admit that you suck at this game."

"I," Nico stated, "do not suck. This fucking game does." He added, once Percy made his three laps and finished, coming in first, as he was still last.

"You haven't even made your first lap, yet? Dude, Peach is beating the shit out of you," Percy taunted, grinning.

Nico didn't respond, his concentration all on the game, looking at the screen intently. "I can do thi-" He cut off when his character fell off of the mushrooms while he was bouncing on them, and suddenly the screen went black as Nico shut the Wii off, throwing it across the room.

Percy laughed, "What was that for?"

Nico shrugged, "This game is not worth playing."

Percy raised an eyebrow, "Or you just suck."

"I don't suck," Nico told him, "You're the one that refused to play in the ghost stage."

Percy rolled his eyes at his best friend, "Oh, yeah, blame the innocent."

Nico raised his eyebrow, "You're innocent?"

Rolling his eyes once again, with a smile on his face, Percy replied, "More than you are. I mean what Will and you do is far from-"

Nico cut him off, blushing. "We haven't done anything!"

Percy chuckled and winked at him, "Yet."

Nico rolled his eyes, his face still a light tint of red, and looked at the clock. "I have to go, Will and I are meeting up today in like ten minutes."

Percy raised both his eyebrows, "Is that why you're dressed up?"

Nico's explanation of "dressed up" wasn't a nice white shirt and pants, rather a fully black shirt with a leather jacket, and somewhat skinny jeans with messed up hair.

Nico shrugged, "It's all I can do."

"Alright," Percy responded, "I'll see you later, then?"

His best friend nodded, "Later."

Percy smiled at him, "Alright, bye."

"Cya," Nico said before getting up from the couch, and grabbing his keys from the table, which was right next to the sofa.

Although, before he could leave, Percy grinned. "Don't have too much fun!"

Nico promptly stuck his middle finger up and then left, shutting the door behind him, leaving Percy alone.

* * *

Annabeth's P.O.V:

Annabeth shut Thalia's door behind her, staring at the floor as she walked. She knew she was as sure as hell not going back into Thalia's house, feeling both pissed and hurt at the same time at the fact that her best friend didn't trust her, and her pride getting in the way.

She decided to go to the park, not wanting to deal with Luke or any drama at her apartment, either. All she wanted was some peace and quiet to clear her head, and she knew that the park was always a good place to do that, for she had been there many times before.

Looking at the sky, it was cloudy and warm, but a cold breeze ran throughout the air once in a while, remembering Annabeth of a childhood memory of when her parents took her outside for ice-cream on the fourth of July, and watched fireworks late at night as a cold breeze ran through the wind.

Not wanting to think about it, Annabeth brushed the memory off, trying not to think about it.

The park was not too far from Thalia's house, and Annabeth could see it in the far distance as she walked closer to it.

 _Who was Thalia to tell me what I should do or shouldn't? I can handle myself, and have been handling myself perfectly. I don't need her permission, I'm 24 years old. And even if it was a bad idea, at least it could get me somewhere. And how did Luke know the person who knew who shot my mom? Was he apart of it? Was the shooter even there? Where were they keeping him, and why?_

Coming back from her thoughts, Annabeth saw she was near the bench of the park, and she had been walking for a long time. The bench was empty, and since her legs felt like they were about to give out, she abruptly sat down, pulling her legs up and rested her chin on her knees.

The bench was large enough to fit three people, and it wasn't comfortable, but Annabeth wished she could sit on the red bench forever, away from everything.

She looked around, on the field there were kids who seemed to be in middle school playing soccer, and families just talking about playing with their children. Annabeth felt her heart contract, knowing she'd never experience having kids, and even if she did, with the man she would do anything to kill.

 _It's not fair. I've been strong for so long, I've married an abusive bastard to impress my parents. I've kept it a secret from almost everybody that I don't get hit by him, I've let him hit me without doing anything about it. I let him crush all my dreams of being an architect, of being happy. Of having a future. And nothing, absolutely nothing has changed. And now my mother's in the hospital. I let him hurt her, I let him participate in hurting my family, and I just let him. How fucking pathetic am I? Then the fact that I was so rude to my best friend, and acted all bitchy towards her. Maybe Luke was right, maybe I just am a worthless bitch._

 _I can't do this anymore._

She didn't realize she was crying until she felt the wetness on her cheeks. Sniffing, Annabeth quickly wiped them away, not wanting to draw attention.

Apparently, she did.

Somebody sat down next to her, and before he spoke, she recognized him by his sea-green eyes and messy black hair.

"You don't look so good," He said, looking at her with concern.

"I'm not," Annabeth replied, her voice heavy, like she hadn't talked in months.

"Yeah?" He asked, "Well, let's see what I can do about that. I'm Percy Jackson, nice to meet you."

 **A/N: They've finally met! Finally, right? Did you guys like this chapter? Let me know, alright? I think it's OOC, but I'd love to know what you guys think of it! :) Also, I'm sorry if my updates aren't the same, my life's been shitty, but I WILL try my best to update. Now, before anything, let's go onto my amazing reviews!**

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 **That's it of the reviews! Thank you guys so much for reviewing and reading this story, all of you! I absolutely love you guys so much and can't express my gratefulness! When I first joined fanfiction, I never expected such amazing readers, and it means the world to me! Thank you! Seriously, you guys.**

 **Also, we all have to celebrate July 1st, don't we? I'm so excited! It's so cool how far Percy's come and everything that's happened.**

 **Anyways, I hope you guys liked this and if I don't update before the fourth of July, I'm wishing you guys a happy Independance Day, when America turns 239! Yay!**

 **You guys stay safe. Keep smiling, xxx.**


	15. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

 **A/N: Your author hasn't been feeling the best lately so please forgive her if this chapter is horrible.**

Percy's P.O.V:

"Yeah?" He asked, "Well, let's see what I can do about that. I'm Percy Jackson, nice to meet you."

The girl, who Percy saw had grey eyes, looking up at him with bloodshot eyes. For just a minute, Percy was mesmerized with those grey eyes, and in a split second he realized those were the same eyes as Andrew.

"Annabeth," The girl replied, smiling slightly at Percy.

Even though she was crying, Percy could see she was seriously beautiful. Her hair was blonde and curly, reminding him of a princess, and her eyes were a beautiful shade of grey, beautiful yet dangerous at the same time.

He was reminded of the girl he met on Whisper, Annabeth Chase when she said her name and he couldn't help but wonder if this was the girl. Of course, he'd memorized everything about her, from her liking architecture to wanting to live in New York City to-

"Percy?" The girl asked, jarring him from his thoughts, her voice lighter than before, and still, Percy would listen to it all day.

He was sitting next to her on the bench, and couldn't stop himself from blurting, "Annabeth Chase?"

Annabeth looked surprised, "What?"

"Is that your last name?" Percy asked, his face heating up, "Chase?"

Annabeth nodded, and Percy's heart almost melted. Didn't Andrew have the same last name as her, too? Maybe she was married to him?

"Yeah," Annabeth said, "That's my last name. Why?" She looked at him with her piercing grey eyes, and for a second, Percy was intimidated by them.

He had to remind himself what his name was before he spoke. "Are you related to Andrew Chase in any way?"

Annabeth looked confused, and Percy noticed her eyebrows scrunched up, which made her cheekbones more prominent, and Percy thought she looked absolutely adorable. Then, realization hit her face and she smiled, wiping her tears away, "Yeah, I do."

"Do you have a Whisper?" Percy questioned, and when Annabeth nodded.

Percy raised his eyebrows, and he, again, couldn't help himself, "I know you, by the way. You like architecture and New York City and grey-,"

Annabeth suddenly grinned. "Yeah? And you live in New York and are afraid of airplanes and apparently ' have purple hair and be 82 years old, living in Minnesota,"'

Percy threw his head back and laughed, and for the first time in years, it felt real. It felt as though all his worries had floated away, and his chest felt less heavy. He smirked at Annabeth, "You still remember that?"

Annnabeth nodded, a smile dancing at her lips, her eyes sparkling. "How could I ever forget?"

Percy wiggled his eyebrows, "How could you?"

This time, Annabeth laughed, shaking her head. Due to the movement, her curls bounced around her shoulders, and Percy couldn't help but notice just how beautiful they were. Her laugh was melodic, and Percy wanted to listen to it forever, despite how creepy it sounded.

"You seem full of yourself," Annabeth told him, her eyebrows raised.

Percy grinned and let out a dramatic sigh, "Have you seen me?"

Rolling her eyes, Annabeth said, "Of course."

Percy saw something glint on her finger, and realized it was a ring. "You're married?" He asked her, disappointment in his tone.

Annabeth bit her lip, "Yeah, but that's not my wedding ring."

Percy realized the ring wasn't on her left hand, rather her right. "Don't you want to wear your wedding right, to show your married?" He wondered, confused.

Annabeth snorted. "I didn't want to be married."

And it suddenly hit him. "Does-does your husband hit you?"

Annabeth nodded slightly, not making eye contact with Percy.

Rage sparked inside of Percy, "Why haven't you divorced him?"

Annabeth was silent for a moment, before she spoke in a venomous tone, "I wish it were that easy."

"It is," Percy promised her, "And you know, you may be a stranger to me, but if you want, I can get you out of your situation. You don't have to live an abusive life, and you deserve to be happy."

A smile danced on Annabeth's lips, and her cheeks were a faint red, "It's fine, Percy. Don't worry about me."

"Bu-" Percy started to say, but was cut off by Annabeth.

"Can we not talk about this right now?" Annabeth interrupted, her voice quieter.

Not wanting to make her uncomfortable, Percy nodded. He knew how it would have felt weird, considering he hated when Nico brought it up from time to time.

"Thanks," Annabeth smiled up at him, a curl falling out of place, and irritated, Annabeth pushing it behind her ear, and Percy was tempted to bring it out again.

Again, Percy smiled, and surprisingly, it was a genuine smile. "I didn't really think I'd meet you."

Annabeth smirked, "I thought you would've died on the plane ride here."

Percy blushed, something he noticed was happening a lot around Annabeth. "Well, I guess not."

Annabeth winked at him before suddenly sitting straighter. She took a deep breath before saying, "Didn't you mention you got abused too?"

Percy leaned back on the bench, feeling the hardwood against his skin. He sighed, "Yeah. My step-father."

Annabeth raised her eyebrows, "Why haven't you told anybody?"

"I have," Percy said, smiling slightly at her, "I told you."

"That's not what I meant," Annabeth replied, a frown on her face. "You have kept the promise, haven't you?"

Percy couldn't help but grin, for about the millionth time in the last few minutes. "You remember that?"

Annabeth nodded, "Just answer it."

"Well," Percy told her, averting his gaze to the floor, "I've tried."

"But trying doesn't mean you always succeed," Annabeth quoted, crossing her legs over each other.

"No," Percy confirmed, "It doesn-"

He was interrupted by a blonde haired man coming up to Annabeth, and Percy saw he had blue eyes. For some reason, Percy felt a tug on his heart and hatred bubbling inside of him when he saw him.

"Annabeth, where the hell were you?" The man asked her, and suddenly he noticed Percy. Narrowing his eyes, the man asked, "And who is this?"

Annabeth looked directly in his eyes, "I don't have to be where I don't want to, why do you care?"

Ignoring her, the man repeated, looking at Percy with disgust, "Who is he?"

"Why do you care?" Annabeth retorted back.

"I'm your husband," The man said, as if that cleared everything. Still, he had a dangerous tone to his voice.

So he was the one abusing Annabeth. Percy suddenly wished he could punch him in the nose.

They suddenly started arguing, as if Percy wasn't there.

Finding a blank post it note in his pocket, Percy took out his pen, which he had had since middle school, Riptide, and wrote down his number and a note that read "I'm always here if you need me". He noticed Annabeth had a purse that was swung over her shoulder, and quietly, while they were still arguing, Percy stuck it inside.

Neither of them had noticed, and Percy suddenly stood up. "Well, I have to leave."

They broke apart, and Annabeth smiled at Percy, which her husband couldn't see. Smiling back, Percy mouthed a "Stay safe" and when she nodded, he started walking East of the bench, towards the hotel where Nico and him were staying.

When he reached the point where he had to turn, Percy took another glance at Annabeth, who was still on the bench with her husband standing up.

Taking another look at her blonde curls, Percy sighed, and turned the corner, his thoughts revolving around Annabeth once again, wishing that someway, he could help her.

* * *

"Hey, where'd you go?" Nico asked when he saw Percy coming through the door.

Percy ran his hands through his hair, "I just went for a walk."

Nico was sitting on the couch, sprawled out, a video game controller in his hand. He raised an eyebrow, "For an hour?"

It had been an hour? "I didn't notice the time," Percy said, not knowing whether he should tell him about Annabeth.

Nico rolled his eyes, "Sure."

"So," Percy said, throwing his keys onto the table and sitting down in the smaller couch next to the one where Nico was sitting, "How did your date with Will go?"

In that moment, a blonde came out from the kitchen, holding two bowls of popcorn, and Percy almost fell off the couch.

"You never told me he was here!" Percy exclaimed, trying to calm his racing heart.

Nico simply shrugged.

Will grinned at Percy, and sat down on the couch where Nico was, sitting on his legs. "Hey," He said, "You must be Percy?"

"Yeah," Percy responded, "How long have you been here?"

"Why?" Will questioned, although not in a rude way, as Nico grabbed a bunch of popcorn and stuffed it in his mouth, still playing his game.

Percy smirked, "So I can know whether it's safe or not to lay on the bed."

Suddenly, Nico started choking, and turned beet red. Pulling himself up from a sitting position, he glared at Percy.

"What?" Percy asked innocently as Will rubbed Nico's back as he coughed, "I was just asking."

"I hate you," Nico declared, and grabbing a handful of popcorn, he threw them at Percy, who easily dodged.

"You're picking that up," Percy said as he got up and coming from around the sofa, grabbing his own handful of popcorn and stuffing it in his mouth.

Will grinned, "To answer your question, I've been here for like fifteen minutes."

Unable to speak due to the popcorn in his mouth, Percy nodded.

Getting off the couch, and dropped various other things in the process, Nico yawned and said, "Oh, by the way, Perce, Hades has another meeting or whatever tomorrow, and I'll have to go, just so you know."

Percy raised his eyebrow, "Why do you have to go?"

Nico shrugged, "How the hell am I supposed to know?"

Rolling his eyes, Percy responded, "Who else do you expect to know?"

Again, Nico shrugged, "I have to meet somebody, though."

Will raised his eyebrows, "Yeah? Who exactly?"

"Relax you idiot," Nico replied, "It's probably just another offer for a job or something,"

"Actually-" Will started but was interrupted by Nico.

Rolling his eyes, Nico said, "Actually my ass. I'm not dating girls, relax."

Will looked at Nico, not fully believing him. "Whatever you say. What makes you think your dad won't? He said he wanted you to get a girlfriend, anyways," Will added, muttering under his breath.

Nico groaned. "Look, just because he _wants_ me to does mean I _will_."

Feeling like he was interrupting, Percy faked a yawn. "Well, I'll just be heading off to bed now."

"Yeah, yeah. Go." Nico said, absentmindedly, as him and Will stared at each other.

Chuckling slightly, Percy walked left and walked into the bedroom where he would sleep, and throwing himself onto there, he put his head in his hands.

 _What the hell happened today?_

* * *

Annabeth's P.O.V:

"What the hell was that for?" Annabeth asked Luke as they both entered inside their apartment.

Luke glared at her, "What makes you think you can go around cheating?" He raised his voice, and slapped Annabeth across the face.

The hit left a stinging mark, but Annabeth didn't dare show it. She glared back at Luke, feeling nothing but hatred for him, "Are you mental? We aren't even dating! I don't even know him, he was just asking me for directions for the carnival!" She lied, but it seemed like a buy-able excuse.

Luke laughed bitterly, "I bet. That dumbass looks even stupider than you."

Biting her lip and clenching her fists at the fact that Luke insulted not her, but Percy, Annabeth forced herself to remain quiet, knowing better.

Luke looked at her questioningly, "Well? Aren't you going to say anything? Defend your boyfriend?"

He knew exactly what buttons to push. "Percy's smarter than you ever will be." Not knowing him very well, yet Annabeth felt the urge to defend him.

"Ah," Luke said, turning his head to face her, "His name's Percy?"

Shit. Annabeth mentally face-palmed at the fact that she had told Luke his name.

When she didn't respond, Luke walked around her, grabbing the remote for the TV. "You know, I can kill him with a snap of my fingers."

Annabeth shuddered at the fact that he said "kill him" so coolly, as if killing people was something he did daily. She snorted. "I don't understand the fact of why you're accusing me of cheating, when, you're the one who's slept with over a dozen girls, have a girlfriend, apparently are in love with my best friend, and at the same time are married to me."

"That's different," Luke retorted in a dangerous tone, daring her to disagree.

She did. Raising her eyebrow, she said, "Yeah? Is it different because you're an ass and I'm not?"

Luke snarled at her, "I can kill you anytime I-"

Annabeth interrupted him, mentally rolling her eyes. "So why marry me?"

Luke smirked at her, "That's something for me to know, and you to find out."

 **A/N: I am not entirely sure how I feel about this chapter, to be honest. Well, I hope you guys liked it.**

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 **I like exclamation points: I'm not sure if this is what you meant or..? But anyways, I hope it is. Thank you! Don't we all wish we could kill Luke? I feel like you're that guest that's reviewed all this times, but I'll do it separately, just in case (I hope you don't mind).**

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 **Okay, that's it with all the reviews! I honestly don't deserve such nice reviews, I swear. You guys make my days and I will forever be grateful for you! Thank you guys so much! I'm sorry I haven't updated regularly, I am trying to balance out between Broken and TWSH, and I just haven't been feeling the best lately. I'm sorry. Anyways, do you guys think I rushed this? Let me know.**

 **Thanks for reading, and stay safe! Keep smiling, xxx**


	16. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

"Good morning," Luke said to Annabeth as he woke up, coming from their room to the kitchen where Annabeth was standing.

Annabeth raised her eyebrows, "Morning?"

Luke nodded, not seeming to have seen Annabeth's confusion. "Yeah, what's for breakfast?"

Annabeth turned to him, away from doing the dishes, "You usually have breakfast with Rachel or go to work," She knew she was ruining his happy mood, for the first time, but couldn't help herself.

Luke shrugged, and walked towards Annabeth, pulling her hair up from it's messy bun, and Annabeth shivered in disgust at his touch. She wanted to slap his hand away, but wasn't sure what he'd do because of that.

As her curls tumbled down her shoulders, Luke spoke, "What's wrong with spending time with my wife?"

Annabeth narrowed her eyes, putting the last plate into the cabinet, and turned to him. "You've never wanted to spend time with me before,"

Something sparked in Luke's eyes, and Annabeth mentally told herself not to go too far.

"Well," Luke said, cupping her cheek, "Now I do."

Annabeth almost gagged, his hand was rough and ragged against her skin. She didn't understand why Luke was acting so weird, but before she could say something, he let go of her cheek and kissed her.

Annabeth didn't kiss back, his lips were filthy to Annabeth, and she didn't kiss back. She heard Luke growl as he kissed her deeper, and Annabeth gasped, and taking advantage, Luke slid his tongue into her mouth.

Annabeth knew where this was heading. She felt his hand lingering at the hem of her shirt, before he slid his hand inside, making Annabeth gasp again. Mustering all the strength she had, Annabeth pushed him away, resulting in his back hitting against the refrigerator.

"What the hell?" Annabeth felt like slapping Luke, and spitting. The taste of him, sour and disgusting, remained in her mouth, and Annabeth had the sudden urge to wash her mouth out with soap.

Luke shrugged, acting completely cool. He looked at her, acting as though nothing had happened, "Get ready,"

"Why?" Annabeth questioned, and she knew she regretted his answer before he even said it.

"I'm taking you out on a date,"

"A date?" Annabeth raised her eyebrows, "It's been months and you're just taking me out on a date?"

Luke nodded, "Why can't I? You're my wife."

Annabeth bit her lip from retorting something she'd regret. "Okay," She told him, reluctantly, an idea lighting up in her brain.

Luke grinned, "Yeah? Go get ready. I'll see you in ten."

With that, he left Annabeth in the kitchen, as she wondered why he was so intent on going out with her. Yet, she realized she could use it as an opportunity to try to get out what Luke knew about Athena and the warehouse, considering he hadn't even told her about it, ignoring her when she asked.

Sighing, Annabeth wiped her hands on the towel near her, and pushed her bangs aside. Walking towards her room, she heard Luke in the bathroom, the water running.

Looking at the clock, she saw it was 11:30 am, which meant she had plenty of time to meet Thalia, who had invited her to her house at 5, telling her she had important news.

Even when Thalia and Annabeth argued, it didn't last long. It was less than 24 hours where Thalia called her, apologizing, even though Annabeth knew she was the one who was supposed to apologize.

After arguing for over an hour about who should apologize, Thalia had exclaimed she had to tell Annabeth something, refusing to tell her over the phone, stating "it was too important to be talked over stupid wires" and Annabeth would have to meet her in person.

Searching through her closets, Annabeth found a simple light grey blouse, and black leggings. Quickly changing into it, not caring how "causal" or "bad" she looked. It wasn't like she was trying to impress Luke.

Looking at her hair in the mirror, Annabeth winced. Her hair was everywhere, and she knew it would be hopeless to try to tame it. She threw it up in a messy ponytail, once again, not caring.

Opening the door of the room, Annabeth saw Luke, leaning against the wall, smirking. His hair was slightly wet, Annabeth noticed, and he was wearing a v-neck, something Annabeth remembered she had gotten for him on his birthday, which he hadn't worn until now. Annabeth was surprised he still had it.

"You know," He said when he saw her, "You look beautiful."

Annabeth was silent, not responding. He looked at her questioningly, and she turned to him, "So are we going to leave or not?"

Luke smiled, and held his hand out.

Annabeth didn't take it. Instead, she opened the door in the back where the kitchen was, and went outside ignoring Luke. Luke followed her, a faint frown on his face.

* * *

"So, what would you like?" Luke asked her, flipping through the menu they had been given minutes ago.

Annabeth shrugged, "I'm not hungry."

"Annabeth," Luke looked up at her from the menu, "I literally brought you to a fucking restaurant. Buy something."

There was the demanding Luke that Annabeth saw all day.

Sighing, Annabeth picked up another menu. "Fine,"

Reading through it, Annabeth read endless dishes she'd never heard of. The closest thing she knew that was an English dish was spaghetti.

Before she could decide, a waitress came up to them, probably the same age as Annabeth, with brown eyes and dark hair, "May I take your orders?"

Annabeth noticed she had an Italian accent, and when Luke spoke to her, he spoke in fluent Italian, something Annabeth had never learned he spoke.

The waitress nodded, "A Bruschetta for you, and you?" She asked Annabeth, pointedly looking at her, making her uncomfortable.

"Um," Annabeth said, not knowing how to pronounce what she wanted, "This." She told the waitress, pointing to the letters.

The waitress squinted over, " Spaghetti aglio e olio?" She asked, her accent more prominent.

Annabeth nodded, and the waitress wrote it down, "Okay. Your orders will be coming in soon."

With that, the waitress left, leaving Luke and Annabeth in silence.

"I never knew you knew Italian," Annabeth said, breaking the silence.

Luke smirked, "You don't know a lot of things about me, Annie."

Annabeth bit the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from speaking. If she wanted information from Luke, she'd have to be kind to him.

"You're right, I don't," Annabeth agreed, "So why don't you tell me more about yourself? Since we're gonna spend the rest of our lives with each other."

Something sparked in Luke's eye, but just as it came, it was immediately gone. "Bu-"

"Oh, wait," Annabeth said, faking disappointment, "You and Rachel are engaged, right?"

Luke nodded, "Yeah."

When he didn't say anything afterwards, Annabeth almost screamed in frustration.

"Luke?" Annabeth asked, and she hoped she sounded desperate.

Luke looked at her, "What?"

Forcing her voice to go quieter, Annabeth said, "Do you know who shot my mother?"

Luke nodded, then quickly stopped himself, but the movement went noticied by Annabeth.

"Was it you?" Annabeth spoke softly, hoping she would get it out of him.

"Nope." Luke said, cooly.

Annabeth raised her eyebrows, "Then who-"

Annabeth was interrupted by the waitress, coming with their plates, smiling.

She placed their plates on each side before asking, "Would you like any drinks?"

Luke answered for both of them, "I'll have a Sprite and she'll have water."

Of course.

"Okay, they'll be here in just a second," With that, the waitress disappeared back into the kitchen, and Annabeth saw her wink at Luke before leaving.

Annabeth stared at the dish she had gotten. It looked like spaghetti, with dried red chili flakes, along with garlic. Small pieces of garlic were scattered around, and Annabeth felt her stomach grumble.

She picked up the fork and twirled the spaghetti around her fork, watching it carefully.

"Rachel and I were thinking about getting married in two months, by the way." Luke informed her, and Annabeth almost dropped her fork.  
"What about me?" She asked, slightly disgusted.

Luke shrugged, "Both of you can stay, it won't be too hard."

Annabeth shut her eyes, and at the same time, the waiter came and silently handed them their drinks, smiling as she left.

Feeling slightly nauseous, Annabeth took her water and sipped it, the liquid calming her down by a little bit.

Taking a deep breath, Annabeth took a shot. "I got a call recently, and the person told me that they knew who shot my mother, and they have him. The man also said you'd tell me where it was, and that I should come in a week."

Luke looked at her as he took a bit out of his food, an evil twinkle in his eyes. "I was wondering when you'd ask me that,"

Annabeth's heart nearly stopped, "So you do know who shot her?"

Luke watched her with a curious gaze, "The 13th of next month. Friday. Be there. I'll give you the address."

Annabeth leaned over, sipping more of her water. "Why did you take me out, then? I know you. What gives?"

As Annabeth took another sip of her water, she nearly choked in his answer.

"Because, Annie, Rachel and I are getting married on the 17th of August, five months from now, and we'd like you to be our maid of honor."

* * *

Nico's P.O.V:

Nico felt incredibly unlucky, and regretted coming to his father's "meeting".

His dad had taken him to an office type of thing, wordlessly telling him to stand near the door as he disappeared into the endless and perplexing mazes, leaving him alone.

The office was built with hardwood floors, large but transparent walls separating offices with computers, desks, and phones.

Nico could swear he knew it was a bad idea to come, but knowing his dad, he didn't exactly have a choice.

As he stood, awkwardly, Nico saw people giving him odd looks, mostly the workers.

About less than two minutes later, Nico saw Hades coming out of the room with another man, who he recognized as Zeus from the party Hades had forced him to go to, only because of the striking similarities to his cousin's boyfriend, also Zeus's son, Jason.

When he saw Nico, Zeus smiled and walked towards him, Hades right behind him.

"Well, Hello, Nico," Zeus told him, a smile on his face, "How have you been?"

Ignoring Hades's question, Nico nodded in acknowledgment, but stayed quiet. Zeus looked at him, diligent.

He looked at Hades, "I am sure he will be exemplary for my daughter."

Nico almost choked, he looked at his father, "What?"

Zeus looked confused. He looked at Hades with a bewildered expression, "You didn't tell him?"

"Didn't tell me what?" Nico asked, his voice raised slightly.

Hades looked back at Zeus, ignoring Nico, "It never came up. I'm sure it's fine telling him now,"

Nico had a feeling he knew where this was heading, "Telling me _what_?"

Zeus gestured behind him, "If you'd go to my office, which is located on the left wall, the third door, it'd be appreciated. I have somebody I'd like you to meet."

Nico felt annoyance burst in his chest. "If it's-"

He was cut off by Hades. "Come, Nico. We don't have all day."

Grumbling under his breath, Nico had no choice but to follow them, just wanting to be over with it.

Zeus opened the door, and Nico almost doubled over and who he saw. Sitting there, was Thalia Grace, Piper's sister in law.

She looked bored, her face resting on one hand, while the other tapped on the desk she was sitting on dully.

When she heard the door open, she looked up, her electric eyes racing.

Her eyes widened when she saw Nico, and she muttered a string of curse words.

Zeus, not seeming to have noticed, smiled at her. "Thalia, this is Nico. Nico, this is Thalia."

Nico heard Thalia snort. "Why did you bring us here?"

"Because," Zeus told her, calmly, "We'd like you two to get married, and why not get to know each other?"

Thalia raised an eyebrow and said, "What if I don't want to get married?"

At the same time, Nico said, "What if I don't want to?"

Zeus looked at them, amusement in his eyes.

Nico suddenly thought of an excuse, "Hades, we have to back to New York in less than three months, and Thalia lives here?"

Hades chuckled, "Nonsense, Nico. Thalia can move into your apartment."

"No!" Thalia and Nico both exclaimed, and Zeus raised an eyebrow.

"Well," He said, "I guess we'll leave you two alone for a bit," And with that, he gestured for Hades to leave, and Zeus repeated the motion, ignoring the protests coming from both Thalia and Nico.

Thalia sighed and stretched, a yawn escaping her mouth. She looked at Nico, "I'm not getting married t-"

Nico replied back, "Wouldn't dream of it."

Thalia glanced at Nico, "Don't you have a boyfriend?"

Nico shrugged, "Yeah."

Thalia smirked. "No way. And Hades doesn't know?"

Nico shook his head, "Nope."

"Well, since that's settled. I guess it's safe to say I am not marrying you and you are not marrying me." Thalia stood up, yawning once again, she opened the door, and looked back at Nico behind her, "You coming?"

Nico looked at her questioningly, "Where?"

Thalia rolled her eyes, "I'm not staying here. But I have no problem locking you inside.." She trailed off, and Nico got up.

"Fine,"

Pulling the door open, Nico and Thalia left, and Nico looked around for Hades, silently cursing at him.

"Where's your dad's office?" Thalia asked him, biting her lip.

Nico shrugged, "I never knew he worked here. I have no fucking idea whatsoever."

Thalia gave him a sideways glance, "You suck. Okay, then I guess I'll ask the dude sitting in one of the stupid chairs."

Without hearing Nico's reply, Thalia walked over to a man, who was typing on the computer, and tapped his shoulder.

Nico couldn't hear what he was saying to her, but he could see them talking.

A minute later, Thalia came back to him, a grin on her face. She pointed to a white door, reading "HADES" and walked towards it, and Nico, not knowing what else to do, followed her.

When he caught up to her, she raised her fist to knock on the door, but Nico stopped her. He could hear voices from the other side of the door.

Telling Thalia to stay quiet, Nico put his ear against the wall, wanting to hear what the people inside were talking about.

"The files confirm it, Zeus," A voice, who Nico recognized as Hades, said.

"We didn't have the same mother, I grew up with Kronos. There is no way Poseidon can be my brother," Zeus's voice came from the other side of the room, and Nico was lost to what they were saying.

"Half-brother," Hades added, and Nico didn't understand what they were trying to say.

Thalia pushed him over, and knocked on the door, obviously irritated.

Nico scowled, and the voices quieted, before Zeus opened the door. He smiled when he saw them, "Done already?"

Thalia crossed her arms. "No. We aren't getting married."

Zeus raised an eyebrow, "My darling, you're 24. You need a partner in life."

Thalia glared at him, "And who are you to decide who my 'partner' is?"

Hades spoke up, "Tha-"

Thalia rolled her eyes, "You know, Zeus, I thought that you would do something other than try to set me up, because truth be told, that's pathetic."

Zeus looked taken aback. "Don't be rud-"

Thalia snorted. "What if I'm gay?"

Zeus glanced at her, surprised, "Gay people are repulsive, and no daughter of mine will be gay."

Nico saw Hades nod, and felt sick.

Thalia stole a sideway glance at Nico, "Yeah? Well. I'll be leaving now. Thanks for trying to do something useful, Zeus, but you've failed. Again." She added smirking, as Zeus frowned.

"I wasted my time coming here," Nico said, suddenly annoyed by the presence of Hades.

Hades raised his eyebrow, "Where are you going?"

Nico said it without even thinking, "Will's."

"And who," Hades asked, "is Will?"

Before he could prevent himself, Nico answered. "My boyfriend."

* * *

Percy's P.O.V:

Percy scrolled through his apps, bored out of his mind.

He may or may not have tried to text Annabeth over 156 times.

And attempted to call her, 283 times.

But failed and chickened out.

For some reason, he was unable to get Annabeth and her safety out of her head, and had spent all night trying to figure out ways to get her out of her relationship.

He perked up when he received a message from Annabeth, and he grinned when he saw her name pop up.

 **Annabeth Chase: Hey**

 **Percy Jackson: Hi, how are you?**

 **Annabeth Chase: I'm tired. You?**

 **Percy Jackson: Tired of what?**

 **Annabeth Chase: You didn't answer my question.**

 **Percy Jackson: You didn't answer mine.**

 **Annabeth Chase: Seriously?**

 **Percy Jackson: Seriously.**

 **Annabeth Chase: *sigh***

 **Percy Jackson: What are you tired of?**

 **Annabeth Chase: Life.**

 **Percy jackson: What happened?**

 **Annabeth Chase: Luke wants me to be the maid of honor at his wedding.**

 **Percy Jackson: Isn't he married to you?**

 **Annabeth Chase: Yeah.**

 **Percy Jackson: He can't have two wives. That's illegal.**

 **Annabeth Chase: I know it is, but that doesn't mean he won't do it. He can convince the law and shit, that's usually what he does, anyways. Or him and Rachel aren't getting married but she's moving in.**

 **Percy Jackson: So they aren't really getting married?**

 **Annabeth Chase: To be honest, Percy, I have no idea.**

 **Percy Jackson: I'm sorry.**

 **Annabeth Chase: It's fine, how are you?**

 **Percy Jackson: I'm fine.**

 **Annabeth Chase: Cool, I'm glad to hear. So what's up?**

Percy was going to type back, before he got a call. Looking at the I.D. number, he saw it wasn't a number he recognized, and his hand accidentally slipped against the answer button, resulting in him picking up the call.

Bringing the phone up to his ear, Percy asked, "Hello?"

"Perseus?"

Poseidon.

 **A/N: Okay, that was longer than I expected, but I am so sorry for not updating sooner. I truly am, and I feel so bad, but before I say shit, let's go onto the reviews!**

 **AutumnLeaves03: Aww. This made me smile. Thank you! And of course, Percabeth forever!**

 **theartnerd333: Thank you! You're so nice! I hope you liked this chapter, love! :)**

 **Sweet Cats: Well, my old schedule used to be like when I first updated Broken, and a day later, I'd update TWSH, and work on Broken for two days and then update, which by then it would be three days, and then start TWSH, and yeah. Every 3-6 days, though. I just haven't been feeling well so my updates have gotten a bit slower. I hope you don't mind? I'll be writing that, soon! Haha, thank you so much! I can't wait till Luke gets his butt thrown in jail, either, to be honest. But anyways, thanks! :)**

 **Doughnutswilderness: What? Not sure what you mean, love.**

 **Daughter of Olympus 2: I was thinking more of Tartarus? Haha, I hope you liked my chapter!**

 **melalai: HERE YOU GO LOVE. I hope you liked it! :)**

 **KHCMC36: Haha, thanks! I agree, it would be funny, and quite relaxing, don't you think?**

 **crazy girl 2.o: Is it? :)**

 **That Kinda Guy: Thank you, that kinda guy! I hope you liked this chapter!**

 **LucyTheCrazyUnicorn** **: Haha, finally! I hope you liked this chapter! :)**

 **Guest: Aww, thank you! :) I was reading my old chapters and literally had to force myself not to gag..I don't really see the "talent" you beautiful people say I have, but thank you so much, honestly! I hope it will :)**

 **Guest: Haha, is it? :)**

 **iluvboooks** **: Finally, right? It's about time. Really, you're reviews are SO sweet. I hope you like this! And /very late/ happy fourth of July to you, too, love!**

 **OverLordRevan:** **I'm not exactly sure you understand. In one of my author notes in the beginning chapters of the story, which you may or may not have read, I stated that Percy was staying with Gabe because of what Gabe would do. I mean, I'm not exactly having Gabe hold Percy back from a lot of things, having him go to San Francisco, but I can speak from experience that some abusive relationships are harder to escape, even if you're 24, and that's what I'm putting into Percy and Gabe. For the Luke and Annabeth thing, I won't spoil anything for you but what makes you believe that Luke is trustable? Again, like I explained in the start of my story (if you don't read my author notes), that nobody would believe Luke, and Annabeth did it for her parents to be happy. That doesn't exactly mean she knows what Luke will do to them, however. She knows that if she divorces him (and it should be pretty obvious), he can and will kill her. I apologize if you didn't understand this sooner, though. Anyways, thank you! :)**

 **Guest: Is it? :)**

 **Amaerai: Aww, this made my year! You're way too nice! I hope you liked this chapter!**

 **Booknerds22202: I will restrain myself from making a TWSH reference. I will restrai- Oh, who cares. Whatever happens, just know it "Wasn't Supposed to Happen" I am so sorry, I just had to. Haha, I'm happy for Nico, too! :D**

 **Guest: Aww, thank you! This means so much! :)**

 **UnicornSwag22: Aw, I'm glad you like this story! I guess you'll have to wait and find out ;)**

 **And that's it for the reviews. Oh and for the Italian food, I honestly have no idea what I put, I just searched up Italian dishes and yeah, so excuse me if it's wrong or a bad description. Anyways, I'm sorry for not updating, but I feel like something's wrong with me, I just don't know** _ **what.**_ **But I will try my best to keep myself in the same updating pattern, I will try. Anyways, happy birthday to Bad Boy Supreme!**

 **I hope you guys are at least willing to read this chapter, since it's not the best. Thanks, and stay safe. Keep smiling, xxx.**


	17. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

 **A HUGE thank you to DaughteroftheSeaGod. Without her, this chapter would be impossible to write (oh who am I kidding, most of my chapters would be impossible to write without her amazingness), for being awesome and revising this. You're absolutely amazing!**

Percy's P.O.V:

Bringing the phone up to his ear, Percy asked, "Hello?"

"Perseus?"

Of course.

Percy mentally rolled his eyes, "May I ask who you are?"

The voice on the other line was silent for a moment, before answering, "Perseus, it's me, your father."

Percy snorted, "I'm sorry. I don't have a father."

When Poseidon spoke, his voice was quieter and more gentle, "Perseu-"

Percy interrupted him, "I told you to call me Percy."

"Percy," Poseidon corrected, "Look-"

Percy cut him off a second time, "Wait," He asked, "How the hell did you get my number?"

From the other side, Percy heard Poseidon sigh, exasperated. "Will you just listen to me?"

Percy leaned against his bed, and raised an eyebrow, even though he wasn't visible to Poseidon, "And why should I do that?"

"You're acting immature, Perseus." Poseidon said, and Percy almost rolled his eyes at his formal tone.

"What would you know about me? You're the one that left me before I was even born." Percy spat, hatred coloring his tone.

He made a move to hang up, but before he could, Poseidon spoke in a tired voice, "Before you hang up, I'd like to tell you something."

Percy raised his eyebrows, "Tell me what?"

"It's about your mother," Poseidon informed him.

Percy laughed bitterly, nausea and both anxiety bubbling in his stomach, "What would you know about her? You're the one that _left_ her."

"Why must you bring every single thing up again, Perseus?" Poseidon asked him, his voice now low.

"Then why did you bother calling me?" Percy countered back, and got up from the bed as Nico burst in the door.

Percy heard Poseidon take five deep breaths before he spoke. "I know one thing," He said, and Percy could hear shuffling of papers through the other line, "I didn't call you to argue with you again."

Nico looked at Percy with an impatient look in his eyes, waving his arms around. With a weird look at Nico, Percy shushed him as he responded, "Well, I would have preferred if you didn't call at all, because I have no intention of talking to you."

Nico threw himself onto Percy's bed, and Percy backed away, "What the hell?"

"I have something to tell you!" Nico exclaimed, his voice breathless.

Narrowing his eyes at Nico, Percy sighed. "What is it? I'm talking on the phone, dude."

"Shut the phone!" Nico almost yelled, and Percy could hear Poseidon saying something from the other line, yet the words were muffled due to the fact that Percy had brought his phone lower than his ear, pressing it against his chest so Poseidon wouldn't hear him.

Percy looked at Nico, slightly worried at his best friend's behavior. "Why?"

"I need," Nico gasped, "to tell you something."

Percy raised an eyebrow, "What is it?"

Nico glanced at the phone in Percy's hand. "Just-" He grabbed Percy's phone, and hitting the "end call" button, threw it across the room, the phone slamming against one of the sofas and sinking into the end of it.

"Okay," Percy said, curious to know the reason behind Nico's actions, "What is it?"

Nico pulled out files that Percy hadn't noticed before, and from what he could see, there were multiple. Nico laid them out onto Percy's bed, and Percy figured there were three files.

Percy glanced at them, confused. "What are these?"

"Look at this," Nico told him, opening one of the files, as three papers fell out from one.

Nico pushed them towards Percy, forcefully handing them to Percy. He looked at the first one, and almost gasped when he saw. The first one, was a record of Poseidon Jackson, with details all about him.

 _Poseidon Jackson._

 _Sex: Male._

 _Age: 44._

 _Race: W_

 _Eye color: Green._

 _Hair color: Black._

 _Height: 6 foot, 6 inches._

 _Weight: 246 lbs_

Everything from Poseidon's gender to his address was written on the file, and Percy looked up at Nico with a surprised look, "What is this?"

"Your father's files," Nico replied, gesturing to the paper behind it, "read the next one."

Putting the first paper on the side, Percy almost dropped the papers when he read what the next one was.

At the top of the paper, in large letters, it read "CRIMINAL RECORDS", and skipping words, a certain sentence caught his eye.

 _Theft and use of drugs at illegal age, 4/16._

Nico watched Percy with a curious look as Percy scanned the paper, reading all of the crimes Poseidon had committed.

 _Drunk driving, 5/18._

 _DRUG DEALING, 6/23._

Percy set the paper down, both confused and startled. Drug dealing? Drunk driving? Percy hadn't even known his father was a criminal, let alone all _that_. He looked at Nico, who was watching him with a curious expression, "Where did you get all this?"

Nico shrugged. "When Hades forced me to meet Thalia in hopes of marrying her-"

"Wait," Percy interrupted, " _What?"_

Nico nodded, "Yeah. That's what the whole shitty excuse of 'meeting' was. It didn't work out though, fucking obviously. Either way, Hades knows I'm gay and refuses to talk to me, and when Zeus and Hades left the room, Thalia and I found these on the desks, and turns out, all our dad's were criminals."

Percy stared at Nico in disbelief, "Seriously?"

Nico sighed, "Yeah. Turns out that Hades, Poseidon and Zeus knew each other from a gang they called 'The Gods of Olympus', or TGO,where they did drug deals and all that shit."

Percy didn't know what to say, and yet he still wasn't believing it. "Were there anymore people in the group?"

Nico raised his eyebrows and shook his head, "From what I read, they had a boss, who's still not in jail. They never caught him. There were other members, too. Three more, I think."

"A gang.." Percy trailed off, not sure what to think. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," _  
_Pulling out papers from a second file, Percy watched Nico as he handed him another paper, "Read it."

A man's picture, who Percy recognized as Zeus from the party, was printed on the top left of the page.

He skimmed through the paper, not bothering to read the weight and height part.

"Not that, you dumbass," Nico told him, as he pointed to a part at the very end. "Read that."

 _At the age of 17, Zeus was caught with his brother, Poseidon, stealing drugs. The two were put in Juvenile after the incident, however let go later on._

 __"No way," Percy muttered, he glanced at Nico. "No way."

"Yes way," Nico told him.

"So if Zeus is my uncle.. Doesn't that mean Thalia's my cousin?" Percy questioned.

Nico nodded, "Yeah."

"That's kinda," Percy broke off, not sure know what to say. Why didn't Poseidon tell him? "Why did they join the gang, then?"

Shrugging, Nico answered, "I'm not sure. But I do know that I need to return the files before they suspect anybody's taken them."

Percy glanced at Nico, "Then go bring them back! You don't want to be charged of theft, do you?"

Nico rolled his eyes, "I won't be like Hades, relax."

"Good," Percy said, "Do you anything else?"

Nico shook his head.  
"How come my dad never told me this..?" Percy wondered to himself, aloud.

"I don't know, but I guess you'll have to ask him next time, speaking of that, he was on the phone, wasn't he?" Nico asked him, putting the files back.

Percy nodded, "He was trying to tell me something."

"You know," Nico said, "I think you should give him a chance."

Percy raised an eyebrow, "Give the man who left me before I was born, never contacted me throughout the whole 24 years of my life, left me to get abused for years, and then suddenly come in my life like nothing happened another chance?"

Nico put his hands up in surrender. "I'm just saying, Perce. You never really know why he wants to see you, and maybe you should just listen to him. It might be the best thing to do."

Percy stared at Nico with an odd look, "Since _when_ do you care what the best thing is?"

Nico shrugged.

"Oh," Percy said, "When do we leave San Francisco?"

Nico smirked, "Why? Met somebody here?"

Percy's mind momentarily went to Annabeth, but he brushed it off. _She's taken, you idiot._ "Not really. Is Will coming back to New York with you?"

"Well," Nico said, sighing, "Hades won't talk to me, but I guess that doesn't really matter anymore. I mean, I do love Will. And I guess maybe if he wants to come, he said he was going to think about it."

Percy raised an eyebrow, "You sound like you don't want him to come."

Nico suddenly seemed tired. He looked out the window before answering, "Well, you see, Will has a job here. Plus unlike me, he has a family here. I don't expect him to move all the way across the country for me."

"You know," Percy said, "If he loves you, then there should be no problem for him coming with you."

Nico muttered something under his breath. He took a sideways glance at Percy, "Since when did you become the love expert?"

Percy found his mind once again wandering to Annabeth and he felt like slapping himself. "I'm not the love expert." He said, trying to laugh it off, but it came out more as a forced laugh.

"What's wrong?" Nico asked, having noticed Percy's unusual behavior.

"Nothing," Percy muttered, a sinking feeling in his stomach. "Nothing at all."

* * *

Annabeth's P.O.V:

Annabeth sighed as she came back from the diner, setting her ponytail on the arm of the sofa.

Luke walked behind her, a smirk dancing on his lips as she did so.

"What?" Annabeth asked, the sharpness in her tone prominent.

Luke shrugged, his blue eyes dancing. "Do you know how beautiful you are?"

Annabeth knew he was trying to flatter her, in order to convince her to be the maid of honor at his wedding. Yet, it didn't work, and Annabeth doubted it ever would. "No," Annabeth responded, "I don't."

"Well, you should." Luke said to her, as he leaned over and kissed her cheek.

Rolling her eyes, Annabeth pushed him away. "I'll be in our room," She told him, as he grinned and sat on the couch.

"Alright," He replied, turning the T.V. on and switching through the channels, "Have fun."

Again, Annabeth rolled her eyes as she went down the hallway to their room, opening the door and immediately throwing herself onto the bed, not bothering to change her clothes.

Annabeth could feel her hair fanning out onto the pillow, and ignored it as she sighed. Looking at the clock, Annabeth saw it was barely five, which meant she still had an hour until she would go to Thalia's.

Thoughts were everywhere in her mind, all swirling.

Why did Luke ask her to be the maid of honor? Didn't he have any other people, like Rachel's cousins, to be the maid of honor? If he was in love with Rachel -even though he had said Thalia before-, why did he marry her? What would happen to her if they got married? What does he know about her mother getting shot? Was he the one that shot her in the first place? Why, of everything, did he need to marry her to work in her father's company?

The last one was constantly on her mind, yet Annabeth had never found the answer.

The next question she asked herself lingered on her mind, and she felt a burning sensation in her eyes when she thought about it, making tears well up in her eyes when she opened them, staring at the light coming through the window in her room.

Would Annabeth ever be happy?

* * *

Annabeth rang the doorbell to Thalia's house, nausea rising in her throat as she thought about all the things she would have to tell Thalia.

Less than twenty seconds later, Thalia opened the door, in her trademark leather jacket and leather jeans, which were ripped. She looked around before pulling Annabeth inside.

Annabeth squeaked as Thalia grabbed her and pulled her inside of her house. She landed on the couch, and glared at Thalia, but it was more in surprise than anger. "What was that for?"

Thalia shrugged, and sat down next to Annabeth. "What's up?"

"A lot," Annabeth replied. "Luke wants me to be the maid of honor at his wedding."

Annabeth saw Thalia's eyes widen, and in a moment, she started to choke. "What?"

Annabeth nodded, "Yeah. Rachel and him are getting married in August, the seventeenth to be exact."

"No way," Thalia muttered, "And that bastard has the nerve to ask you that, and fucking get married to another woman?"

Annabeth nodded. "You know Luke."

"Sadly," Thalia spoke under her breath.

"I don't know, Thals," Annabeth said, "Should I be their maid of honor?"

Thalia looked at Annabeth with disbelief on her face, "Hell no! Why would you even think of it? You can't just let him control you like that, it's fucking stupid!" She exclaimed, as if the question was the stupidest thing in the world.

Annabeth sighed, "But Luke can hit me, you know that."

"I'm telling you, Annie," Thalia told her, looking at her directly in her eyes, "Divorce him. Divorce him and let me handle the rest, you don't have to live this fucking hell anymore. It's like you've literally been in hell for the past months, hasn't it? Well, you don't have to keep living like that, trust me. You can find your own boyfriend, and have a happy marriage."

"But my parents-" Annabeth tried to say, but was cut off my her best friend.

"Fuck your parents and what they think!" Thalia exclaimed, "This is _your_ life. For God's sake, Annabeth, you're twenty four. You can make your own decisions. I mean the only reason you're mother is in a coma is because of Luke, and you know that."

Annabeth was silent, not sure what to say. She knew Thalia was right. "Then what am I supposed to do? I can't just leave him."

"Actually," Thalia said, "You can. But you're afraid of Luke."

"I am not afraid of Luke," Annabeth denied, "But he can not only hurt my family, but also all of my friends. Including you." She added.

Thalia laughed, "I'd like to see him try. But I'm serious, Annie."

Annabeth shrugged, "I know. I'm telling you, I will try."

"Good," Thalia said, "But I have something to tell you."

"What is it?" Annabeth questioned, crossing her legs onto the sofa.

Thalia was momentarily silent before she spoke. "I think I know who shot your mother."

 **A/N: *sighs loudly again* Well, sorry for the wait. I don't know what the hell this chapter turned out to be, but oh well, right?**

 **Anyways, onto the reviews first! :)**

 **Guest: Holy crap. Thank you!**

 **UnicornSwag22** **: I'm so glad you like this story, love! :) You'll figure out soon enough, so just stay tuned! :) I agree, sometimes thoughts are hard to put into words. But anyways, thank you so much, I hope you liked this chapter!**

 **LongLiveThorn: You're amazing and wonderful. Thank you! :)**

 **LucyTheCrazyUnicorn: Luke is a bastard. Thank you so much, love! Your reviews honestly make my day, I hope you liked this chapter!**

 **theartnerd333: I hate Luke, too! :) They can't divorce cause Luke's gonna kill her (I have no clue if that question was rhetorical)! Stupid Luke, huh? Anyways, yeah! I don't like Poseidon much right now, either. Thank you so much for reviewing, and I hope you liked this chapter. You're awesome, Christine! :)**

 **AutumnLeaves03** **: LET'S ALL GO CRASH HIS PARTY. Thank you so much, you're so nice! I really hope you like this chapter as well! :)**

 **percabethbooklion: I know right (I probably sound crazy since this is my story but oh well). I hate Luke, too. Don't worry, though. He will definitely get what he deserves! :)**

 **KHCMC36** **: Yes! Or we can throw them into Tartarus?**

 **candycrum: Thank you! I'm not sure if I'll make that a huge deal, but I will think about it. :)**

 **WaterWarrior60** **: Cliffhangers are fun to write! Sorry, though! :) I hope you liked this chapter, and that you were glad you got an update! :)**

 **meeeeeeeeee: Thank you! Here you go! I hope you liked it! :)**

 **Guest: My face lit up when I read your review. Thank you!**

 **Sweet Cats: Aww, thank you! Haha, I understand! I'm so happy you liked this! I hope your day was and is spectacular as well, just like you! :)**

 **HunterxInferno: Haha, I get that a lot ;) and thank you! :)**

 **Bob: I'm not sure, I'm going to add Frank and Hazel into this..maybe Reyna? I guess we'll have to see. Anyways, here it is and I hope you liked this chapter!**

 **Guest: Thank you! :)**

 **Weaselswillrule: NO OKAY. Weasel you better come over so I can hug you right know even though you hate hugs. I swear to you once school starts we can make random TWSH references and creep mortals out. Thank you!**

 **ophsroo: I missed your reviews! :) Thank you! Luke is stupid, I agree.**

 **So that's it with the reviews, but guys, I'm at 196 reviews..I will die if I get to 200, honestly. I can't believe this. You guys are just literally so awesome.**

 **Anyways, let's all wish a happy birthday to Wise Girl, who turns 23 this year! Long Live Wise Girl! :)**

 **My updates are gonna get slower these next months once school starts once again, and I'm not going to discontinue this or Broken, just so you guys know, if my updates are bad. Thank you guys for reading, and there's a poll which I keep forgetting to mention on my profile, and I'd appreciate it if you guys would take your time to vote? Thank you!**

 **You guys stay safe, alright? Keep smiling, xxx.**


	18. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

 **Thank you to my absolutely magnificent beta for going through this and taking her time to read and revise this to make sure it's acceptable to update. You're awesome!**

Annabeth's P.O.V:

"No way."

Annabeth stared at Thalia with a look of shock, not believing what she had just said.

Thalia nodded, her electric eyes not meeting Annabeth's gaze. "Yes way."

Annabeth sat up straighter, clasping her hands together, "How do you know?"

This time, Thalia looked at Annabeth, and sighed. "Look, I get that it's hard to believe. But Annie, I did an observation with Reyna, another police officer, and one of my friends. He has his own criminal record, and has known your mother for a long time, since high school."

Annabeth's jaw dropped. "What?"

Thalia pursed her lips. "Yeah, trust me. Annie we did this whole investigation of his records, and it makes sense."

"No," Annabeth said, "It doesn't. Why would he do it, just because a long rivalry through high school? That's completely irrational."

Thalia threw her hands up in exasperation. "Annabeth, _think_ about it. Doesn't it explain it? Maybe that could explain why Luke married you?"

"Thalia, that's not reasonable." Annabeth denied, her mind still not registering what Thalia had told her.

Thalia raised an eyebrow, "Isn't it? Annabeth, are you still thinking of going to the place Luke wants you to go?"

Annabeth exhaled deeply. "I can go there if I want to."

"And why," Thalia said, leaning over the sofa to get her tube of mascara, would you want to go there?"

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "We aren't starting this again, Thals."

Thalia shrugged, and popped open her mascara. As she applied it, she said, "Look. I want you safe. That place isn't safe, and you fucking know it."

"Well," Annabeth replied, "I happen to be all about not safe."

Thalia snorted, "Yeah, Annie. I know. But I can't let you go. Listen, Reyna and I will investigate more on the case, you don't-"

Annabeth suddenly felt a burst of emotion inside her. "Thalia, he shot my mom. She could be on her death bed right now, and I can be giving whoever shot her more time to live. Thalia, I can't-" Annabeth's voice cracked and she cursed herself for being so emotional.

Thalia sighed and moved closer towards Annabeth, and pulled her arms out for a hug.

Annabeth, who had slight tears in her eyes, accepted and she embraced her best friend, sniffing slightly.

"Thalia, what if I lose her? The only reason I married Luke was so my parents could be happy and so he wouldn't hurt them but I was just such a fool to believe he was actually normal and had a heart. It's all my fault. Maybe if I wasn't so fucking stupid, my mother wouldn't be in a coma. What have I done, Thalia?" Annabeth ranted, as tears fell from her eyes, not able to hold them in anymore.

 _It's all my fault._

Thalia let go of Annabeth and shook her head. "No. It is _NOT_ your fault, you hear me? It's not your fault, and don't you dare think that it is."

Annabeth bit her lip, trying to control the tears. She looked at Thalia, her eyes sparkling. "Thalia, I have no clue what I did to deserve a best friend like you."

Thalia smiled, and again, embraced her in a hug.

Rubbing her back, comforting Annabeth, Thalia said, "Whatever happens, Annie, I've got your back. Remember that, alright? You're my best friend and I can promise you that whatever happens I'll be here, alright?"

All Annabeth could do was nod, tears springing up again in her eyes.

* * *

Sighing, Annabeth knocked on the hospital door, feeling deja vu.

The hospital, where she was in, smelled of hand sanitizers and wipes, which brought back terrible memories of her previous experiences in the hospital.

In the distance, beeping sounds of machines could be heard, faintly. Shaking her head to not get too caught up, Annabeth forced herself to calm her nerves.

A minute later, the door opened, by Annabeth's father Frederick.

Annabeth saw he looked worse than the last time she had seen him. The dark bags under his eyes were extremely dark, almost black, and his eyes looked tired, like he hadn't slept in days. Annabeth could see his old shirt, which he used to commonly wear before Annabeth's marriage and used to be tight on him, was now very loose, and she saw he had lost weight.

When he saw his daughter, Frederick smiled, but it wasn't the same smile Annabeth used to see.

He opened the door wider, and Annabeth felt the urge to hug him, to make him know he wasn't alone. Like the old times.

But she didn't. Walking into the room, Annabeth looked towards Athena, who was laying down onto the hospital bed the same way she had been three days ago. Looking at her mother like that, the woman who knew everything, broke Annabeth's heart.

 _It's all your fault._

Ignoring the words that ringed in her eyes, Annabeth asked her father, who was looking at Athena with a look of longing, "How is she?"

Frederick sighed tiredly, and ran a hand through his hair. "She isn't any better than before."

Annabeth took a deep breath before she spoke. "Can I talk to her?"

Frederick looked surprised. "Alone?"

Annabeth nodded, silent.

 _It's all your fault._

Frederick looked at Annabeth strangely, before he smiled and stood up. "Of course. I'll be waiting in the waiting room." He added winking, and Annabeth couldn't help herself but grin. She had missed her dad's stupid jokes.

With another smile, Frederick walked over to the hospital door and left, shutting it silent behind him.

Annabeth sighed and stood up, walking over to her mom, and sitting down onto the cold and hard seat that was pulled out, next to her mother.

Again, Annabeth exhaled. Then, she started speaking, trying not to cry. "It's me, Annabeth. Mom, I'm sorry. I know this is my fault, and I think I also know who shot you. But if you don't make it, Mom, I want to tell you something."

Annabeth took a shaky breath before she spoke again. "I'm sorry. For everything. I didn't mean to speak back to you the other day, I really didn't. It was a mistake, and I want to apologize for it. It's all my fault that you got shot. And now," Annabeth said tears glistening in her eyes, "now you may be on the brink of death. I promise you, I'm going to get whoever shot you back. I don't care if it's illogical, but I swear to you I will."

Annabeth stopped and thought about all the times her mother and Annabeth had spent together when she was little, all vanishing once Annabeth got older. "I haven't slept the same without you around. Actually, I haven't slept at all. I can remember you showing up at my sixth grade graduation when I was little, and I can still remember the look of pride and happiness in your eyes as I walked onto the stage. I still wish I made you proud. I hope you're still proud of who you call your daughter, and that when you think of me, you're happy. I'm awake at night, Mom, praying for you to wake up. We all are.

"Actually, I don't know why I'm being all dramatic on this. You're the strongest person I know, and you're the person I look up to. The person who read me bedtime stories when I was little, was willing to spend her time to go out and buy ice cream with me, the person I call my mother.

"Please wake up, mom. Dad needs you. I need you. And I promise, I'll make sure you're safe with dad once you wake up. Please, just wake up, Mom. I need you, and even though I'm 24, I still need you in my life. I'm not ready to let you go. I'm begging you, mom." Annabeth said, grabbing her mother's cold hand and holding onto it tightly, as tears dripped down her cheeks. "You won't leave, right? You can't, Mom. I love you."

Annabeth was silent for a moment, trying to swallow the lump in her throat as she looked at her mother lying there, helpless. The beeps of the machines were now beeping in harmony, as if Athena was trying to say something.

 _It's all your fault._

She took her mother's hand and kissed it, regretting everything she had done.

Taking a deep breath, Annabeth stood up. She was afraid if she didn't leave, she'd break down.

With another look at her mother, Annabeth sighed and opened the door of the hospital room, the smell of the hospital once again hitting her.

She walked down the hallways of the hospital, trying not to think. Her dad was sitting in one of the sofas, his head in his hands, not having noticed Annabeth yet.

She felt a pang in her heart, and wondered why she hadn't even called or came to see her father, who obviously wasn't taking his wife's condition well. She silently sat next to him, remembering what they used to do when Annabeth was a little girl.

Annabeth wrapped her hands around her father's neck, and hugged him, embracing her father like she had done years ago.

He tensed, and removed his hands from his face, and with a contract of her heart, Annabeth saw her father was crying.

Her father _never_ cried. Ever.

When he saw her, he relaxed, but wiped his tears away, and Annabeth could see it bothered him that she had seen him crying.

She laid her head on her father's shoulder, smiling at the old memories that came rushing back from when she was little.

"Annabeth," Frederick muttered, "do you think Athena will be okay?"

Annabeth pulled apart from her dad and looked at him, directly in his eyes. "Dad, listen to me. She's going to be okay. Everything will turn out in the end, and you have no reason to be worried. It's going to be alright. I promise."

Frederick looked at her for a second, and his lips twitched up. "I'm supposed to be comforting you, and here you are, comforting me."

Annabeth shook her head, "So what? It doesn't matter."

Frederick sighed. "I wish you hadn't grown up so fast."

I wish, too. "Agreed."

The two sat in comfortable silenc

Suddenly, Frederick got a questioning look in his eyes. Looking at Annabeth's upper left arm, he asked, "Annabeth?"

"Yes?" Annabeth asked.

"What's that bruise on your left arm?"

* * *

Percy's P.O.V:

Percy sighed as he walked along the sidewalk, his feet hitting the pavement with force.

After learning all those things -his dad having been a criminal and drug dealer with a gang- Percy decided he needed a break.

Rolling his eyes for no apparent reason, Percy kept his eyes on the sidewalk as he walked to places he had no idea of, considering this was his first time in years to San Francisco.

Staring at the concrete sidewalk and listening to the sound of his music blaring through his headphones, Percy let the music overcome him, washing over in his veins, making Percy forget anything about reality.

Percy yelped as a force hit his body, sending him flying towards the ground, and landing on the ground with a grunt, earbuds falling out his ears, landing on the ground.

He looked up, and saw another person, a girl, was on the floor, and cursing, he quickly pulled himself up.

Walking over to the girl, Percy recognized her by her blonde hair, and mesmerizing grey eyes.

Smiling slightly, Percy held his hand out for her to take. When she took it, Percy felt sparks erupt and spread throughout his whole body, just like -he realized with a pang- when Andrew and him had touched back in the party.

She looked at him with surprise, "Oh gods, did I hit you?"

Percy bit his lip, he loved hearing her voice. "It's no problem. Are you alright?"

Annabeth glanced at him, a sheepish look on her face. "Sorry..I was in a hurry."

Percy raised an eyebrow. "What's the hurry?"

Annabeth shrugged, and Percy could see she wasn't telling him something. Not that he expected her to, though. "I came from the hospital."

"Everything alright?" Percy asked, strangely worried.

Annabeth's shook her head, and Percy noticed they were walking side by side, Annabeth not having noticed. "My mom's still in a coma."

Percy almost stopped walking. "What? How'd she get in a coma?"

"She was shot," Annabeth replied monotonously.

"Who shot her?" Percy questioned, knowing he was getting into her business but unable to prevent himself.

"I don't know. That's what we're trying to figure out."

"Well," Percy said, his mind wandering over to Annabeth's abusive husband, "how is she?"

Once again, Annabeth shrugged. "Dad said she isn't getting any better. I swear if I lose her, I will kill Luke.." She added, under her breath.

Percy heard her. "Luke shot her?"

"Guess we'll have to see, won't we?" Annabeth answered, staring at the ground.

"What do you mean?" Percy asked, and he realized he was pretty much attempting to know Annabeth's private business.

Signing, Annabeth replied, "Long story. I was offered to go to a place to see who shot my mother."

Percy raised his eyebrows, "Why would you want to do that?"

"Because," Annabeth replied, still walking, "I need to know who shot her."

Dumbfounded, Percy asked, "Who knows?"

Annabeth replied instantly. "Luke."

Percy had expected that. "Then it's not safe."

He heard Annabeth sigh deeply. When she spoke, she sounded annoyed. "Is everyone going to say that? It is safe."

"If he abuses you," Percy said, making sure Annabeth could hear him, "then it makes sense to why he knows who shot your mother. Which is why it's absolutely not safe."

Annabeth stopped walking. "Well. I promise it is safe. But my house is right there," She informed Percy, pointing pointing to a red building, "I have to go."

Percy nodded, surprised at the fact that he hadn't noticed where they were walking. Before she could leave, Percy gathered up his courage and mentally took a deep breath.

"Annabeth?"

"Yeah?" Annabeth said, turning around, causing her blonde curls to twirl around. Percy cursed at the world for her being so beautiful.

"Would you, uh, like to go out with me this Friday?"

Annabeth looked at him strangely. _She's married, what kind of stupid question is that?_

Then, a smile broke out on Annabeth's face. "Is that an offer for a date?"

Percy winked, sounding more confident than he really was, "Only if you want it to be.'

Annabeth laughed, and hit his shoulder, gently.

Percy loved the sound of her laugh. The fact that he was the cause of it made it ten times better than before. "Is that a yes?"

Annabeth leaned up to peck him on his cheek.

Electric sparks formed when her lips met his skin, and he felt like melting. She pulled away, blushing.

"I'd love to."

 **A/N: Oh, look. It's an update. Yeah..sorry if it's not really that good. Things came up and I couldn't update yesterday, so I'm sorry. But this is a bit longer, so I hope it makes up for it? Probably not, but oh well. I'll have Percabeth soon so don't you guys worry, trust me on this. But you guys we've hit 230 reviews and I can't believe this, and truth be told I doubt it's really reality. Thank you! I can't say it enough, you guys are absolutely wonderful, you know that? Thank you so much.**

 **Onto the reviews (which was surprisingly, 31).**

 **theartnerd333** **: Holy crap I'm blushing so hard right now. I guess you'll have to find out if Sally is alive or not, huh? Thank you so much for reviewing your spare time, love! You are literally just the best.**

 **percabethbooklion** **: I can promise you that ;)**

 **WaterWarrior60** **: Haha, that's totally fine! I'm glad you like this story, and oh it makes a ton of sense. I may have it done by, what, October? Not sure. My beta and I have already talked out a bit of the ending, so yeah, I just need to write it.**

 **BubbleEwa** **: Okay, so where do I start? You are absolutely so nice and as if I wasn't blushing before, I totally am now. I won't stop writing anytime soon, but cause you guys are just awesome. *shrugs* I don't know what they meant in the PM, or were trying to say, but hey, who cares? I have my followers and I obviously don't need him to tell me how much I'm worth. The mysteries of Luke will be revealed soon enough and I think things will be more clear. Haha, thank you so much for your reviews. Honestly, they are just awesome and seriously flattering to an extent where I was just staring at the screen like "Wtf, what did I do to get this amazing beauty to read my story?" But thank you!**

 **KHCMC36** **: Oh, well, right. Now I have to spend like all night figuring out where I have to throw them in (a bed of knives?). Anyways, don't worry, I'll have Percabeth soon! And I hate Luke, too, but then again don't we all?**

 **ophsroo: Aw, well, I'm glad you're back. Thank you! :)3**

 **crazybooknerd112: Thank you! I hope you liked this chapter.**

 **candycrum: Would you? Sadly, Annabeth has other plans. I hope you liked this chapter!**

 **iluvboooks: Oh my gosh, I'm literally speechless. Thank you so much! WHY AM I UNABLE TO HUG YOU. Anyways, yeah, I hate Luke, too. Even though he's my own character, I still hate him. Thank you so much! :)**

 **Someone the World Forgot : Well, I wrote in a way where you still don't know who it is, but keep guessing ;) Well, technically Nico is 23 so even if Hades does disown him I don't it'd matter much, right? Anyways, thank you! :)**

 **juliewise123: I hope you like this chapter! :)**

 **runy0ucl3v3rb0y: PARABATAI**

 **R: Thank you! I hope you liked this chapter. :)**

 **AutumnLeaves03: Haha, dear god you just gave me an awesome idea. Thanks. Thank you! :)**

 **PunksNotDeadYouAre: Thank you! I hate doing that, cause even though it's a Percabeth story, other characters still play a part, you know? Anyway, Thank you! (I love your URL btw)**

 **Sweet Cats: Stuff came up. Don't blame me. I hope you liked this chapter, love! :)**

 **ryanloves percy and annabeth: I love this review. Thank you so much! I am so happy you like this story!**

 **Shattered Owl: You'll find out soon enough, that kinda guy.**

 **Guest: Sorry I didn't, I hope you like this.**

 **Well Hi There: Thank you! This is so nice, gods of Olympus. I really am glad you like this. And I hope you like this chapter, too!**

 **ilovecatzx: Oh my gods you're awesome. Thank you! :)**

 **Oops, well, I was reading off the names of the reviewers and for some reason my computer didn't show me the next page to the reviews and I was like, "Hold on..where's the review from _?" because I know all my reviewers' names and URLs, so. Sorry about that. That's it of the reviews..I hope you guys liked this chapter. Thank you for reading, and I hope you guys have an awesome day/week. Stay safe. Keep smiling, xxx.**

 **That's it of the reviews..I hope you guys liked this chapter. Thank you for reading, and I hope you guys have an awesome day/week. Stay safe. Keep smiling, xxx.**


	19. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

 **Thank you to the amazing DaughteroftheSeaGod1015 for reviewing this and making sure there weren't any mistakes or errors. Siriusly, bro, you are awesome. I honestly have no clue where this story would be without you (don't you dare deny it).**

Annabeth's P.O.V:

Yawning, Annabeth got out of bed after finally, after at least ten minutes of staying up and not wanting to start the day. She stretched her arms out, and winced when she heard her bones cracking.

Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Annabeth swung her legs over her bed, noticing the fact that the other side was empty, something Annabeth had grown used to over the past months. She figured Luke had either gone out to work or was with Rachel.

She blinked a few times, getting adjusted to the light of the morning streaming from the window of her room, and looked at the clock on her night-stand. 8:13 A.M.

Walking over to her dresser, Annabeth pulled her hair up in a ponytail as she sighed and walked outside of her room, not bothering to fix the bed.

When she entered the living room, Annabeth nearly yelped from the scene in front of her. Luke was on the couch, his blonde hair messy from what Annabeth could see. Sitting next to him, practically on his lap, was a redhead from what Annabeth could see. The redhead was running her hands all across Luke, from his head to his back, and Annabeth felt the urge to gag.

"What the hell?" Annabeth said, before she could help herself.

The two broke apart, abruptly. Even though she had suspected it, Annabeth was still surprised to see Luke's fiancée, Rachel straddling Annabeth's husband in the middle of the living room. Luke stared at his wife, his blue eyes full of surprise. He narrowed them a second later, and Annabeth stared back.

Clearing his throat, Luke got up from the sofa, his shirt off, and ran a hand through his hair. "Why are you here?" He asked Annabeth, and Rachel, herself, got up and fixed her messed up hair.

"I live here." Annabeth stated, plainly, anger bubbling inside of her. She cooked, cleaned, washed, and worked for him, and here he was, asking her why she was here?

Annabeth saw Rachel give him a glance with her emerald eyes narrowed. Luke quickly shook his head and laughed, and Annabeth detected the fakeness in it as easily as Rachel did.

"What the hell? You don't live here!" Luke exclaimed, still laughing and Annabeth had to restrain herself from punching him in the face.

"Um, what?" Annabeth questioned, and by the look of Rachel's face, Luke had obviously messed up.

"You told me she was only here to be your slave?" Rachel asked Luke, staring him down, accusation coloring her tone.

The urge to slap Luke was growing stronger by the minute, Annabeth looked at Luke, who was biting his lip, not looking at either of them. "No." She told Rachel, "I'm not anybody's slave."

Luke cleared his throat, making Rachel and Annabeth look at him. He smiled at Rachel and rolled his eyes, "Ignore her. She's just being a bitch. Can't accept the fact that she's in such a lower position."

Annabeth gaped at him. " _Excuse me?"_

Rachel nodded, believing Luke. "I can see that."

Annabeth raised her eyebrows up at Luke, and she wished Thalia was there to beat him up for her. A slave? Who gave Luke the right to call her a slave? She had her own rights, and was capable of doing whatever she wanted.

 _But if you weren't a slave, you wouldn't be afraid of Luke and him hurting you._ A voice inside her head said.

Shaking it off and trying to ignore the fact that the voice was probably right, Annabeth took a deep breath to calm herself.

A noise broke off Annabeth and Luke's glaring contest, and Annabeth recognized it as the ringing of a phone. Rachel suddenly got up, and went behind the sofa, and picked up a purse, which was obviously designer and had her name printed on it, in big, large, cursive font. She rummaged through her purse and pulled out her phone, which Annabeth realized was ringing.

"Oh, I have to get this." Rachel said, as she slid the "accept call" button and walked over to the kitchen, where she disappeared, leaving Annabeth and Luke alone.

Even though it wasn't rational, Annabeth felt a twinge of annoyance as Rachel walked away, as if she had been there many times before. Annabeth didn't doubt the fact that she had been to their house -if she could even call it that- several times, but felt disgusted at the same time thinking about it.

When she left, Annabeth glared at Luke, who was watching her intently. "What the fuck was that? A slave? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Luke raised his eyebrows, and his eyes became cold. He took a step closer to Annabeth, still shirtless, until he was inches apart from her face.

"Go along with it." He told her, and Annabeth shook her head, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Why? Luke, I'm fucking tired of whatever you're trying to do. I have no problem leaving right now if all you're going to do is treat me and look at me like shit." Annabeth added, remembering her mother at the hospital, and hatred of Luke spreading through her once again."

Luke snarled as he leaned down, his blue eyes meeting Annabeth's grey ones. He was so close to her that Annabeth could count every single shade of blue, coloring his iris, and swirling around. They held nothing but coldness and hatred as she looked at them.

When he spoke, Annabeth could feel his hot breath against her cheek. "I am just as capable of hurting you. There's nothing about you that scares me. Go around threatening me all you want, Annie. We all know how weak you really are. Crying over your mother? Wait 'till I show you what worse things I can make happen."

Annabeth shivered, the tone of his voice sending shivers down her back repeatedly. Yet she looked back at her "husband" with a steady expression. "I honestly don't know why you always repeat that, and never do anything."

Luke smirked, "Is that a challenge?"

Shit. "No." Annabeth said, mentally cursing at herself for her choice of words. She knew from experience Luke would easily take a challenge, remembering when they were newly married, when she had challenged him on stupidly saying he wasn't strong enough to break a bone. Of course, he had tested that out on her, and she had to live with a broken arm, lying and saying she had fallen to the people who questioned her broken arm.

Luke's smirk grew wider, making him almost seem like a maniac. "Good."

Annabeth bit her lip as she asked the next question, regretting to hear the answer. "So, what's with you and Rachel?"

Luke raised an eyebrow. "Can you do me a favor?"

"What is it?" Annabeth asked, and when Luke grinned, his eyes glinting evilly, Annabeth inwardly punched him. The signs of Luke turning crazy was never good.

"Get out of my house," He told her, pointing to the front door.

Annabeth stared, open-mouthed, at him. "Are you kicking me out?"

Luke shook his head. "No. I need a bitch to do my work. Just stay out until Rachel and I are done with our business. Then you can come in."

Annabeth snorted and crossed her arms. "You can't kick me out. This is _my_ home. Go somewhere else with Rachel. Or I'll call the cops."

Luke laughed, coldly. "No, you won't. I know you. You're too weak. Get out before I make you."

Annabeth narrowed her eyes at him. "And what if I don't?""

Luke smiled at her. A smile full of hatred for his wife, not a single hint of love or affection for Annabeth. He leaned down and grabbed her legs, picking her up bridal style. He then tossed her over his shoulder, and Annabeth felt heat rush to her face.

Annabeth shrieked as he carried her, moving towards the door. She pounded her fists onto his bare back, but he seemed to have not felt anything, considering he kept walking, despite Annabeth's protests. She sighed, frustrated with herself, and gave up.

He yanked the door open, and threw Annabeth out. She hit the ground with a loud _thud._ Looking up at Luke with hatred, Annabeth said, "I have no clothes. In case you haven't forgotten, I just woke up."

She thought Luke would have gotten her inside by saying that, but all he did was shut the door on her.

Although, a minute later, the door was opened again, and Annabeth's purse and hoodie was thrown outside by Luke.

She opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, Luke smirked at her, and with a wink, slammed the door on his wife's face.

Annabeth inhaled, feeling irritation and anger rise up inside of her, but at the same time she got up. The typical sun of California was out, shining onto her with the power of a hundred lights, and the sky was clear.

Annabeth realized her hair was a mess, along with her clothes. She got up, and looked down. All she had been wearing was a light blue tank top and shorts, not bothering to have put on anything else. She hadn't washed her face, let alone anything else.

Knowing Luke, he wouldn't let her in before sunset. Thalia was at work, and Annabeth knew she wouldn't be back until the afternoon. The cops was an option, but Annabeth refused to go there, her pride standing in the way. She could handle this herself.

With nowhere to go, Annabeth opened her purse, trying to ignore the fact that she looked disgusting, and dropped all of the contents on the floor.

Her emergency hairbrush, phone, bobby pins, ear-buds, and lady essentials fell out of her purse. What caught her eye, however, was a slip of paper that fell out with her other items. Bending down and picking it up, Annabeth read the small paper, and almost gasped when she read it.

On it, Percy's number was written, with a note that read, _I'm always here if you need me._ Annabeth couldn't help but notice how beautiful his handwriting was, as cheesy as it sounded.

She picked up her other items carefully, except for her phone. Thinking to herself of having no other choice -even though she had many-, Annabeth turned her phone on, and with her heart racing, called Percy.

A minute later, he picked up. "Hello?"

Annabeth's heart melted when she heard his voice. It sounded like he had just woke up, and his voice was raspy. "Percy?"

Bed springs creaked as though he had suddenly got up. "Annabeth? Is everything alright?"

A smile danced at Annabeth's lips at Percy's worried tone. "I'm fine. Can I ask you for a huge favor?"

"Sure. What is it?" Percy's voice came from the other line, still raspy.

Annabeth bit her lip before answering. "I, um. Well, Luke kicked me out to be with his fiancée. I have nowhere to go..and I was wondering if I could stay with you? It's totally fine if I can't, I really don't mean to disturb you and-"

She was cut off by Percy. "No, it's fine. Come on over. I'll text you the address to my hotel."

Annabeth took a deep breath before answering. "Thank you so much."

"Anytime."

* * *

Percy's P.O.V:

After texting Annabeth the address, Percy decided to get up from his bed, having woke up when the sound of his phone broke him out of his dream. Which had been about Annabeth.

It wasn't anything creepy, or at least Percy hoped it wasn't. He saw her, with her beautiful blonde hair and mesmerizing grey eyes, sitting next to him. They were at the beach -or at least that's what it seemed like-, and she had kissed him under the sunset. To anybody else, it might have felt cheesy and stupid, but when Percy woke up to the sound of her voice, his whole day was made up.

When she had told him her husband had kicked her out, Percy had to literally restrain himself from going to her house and beating him up, something he had never thought about before. Although, it pissed him off how badly Annabeth was treated by her husband and how he didn't do anything about it. She didn't deserve it -nobody did-, yet she wasn't doing anything about it. There was a thin line between "you're my wife and I'd like you to do me a favor" and "I need you to get out of my house because I'm the boss of you and I'll kill you if you don't agree", and Luke had definitely crossed it, probably the moment they had gotten married.

Married. It killed him to think about when they had gotten married. Not only because that meant Annabeth was taken, but also because she had been living with that thing she called her husband for months. But Percy was convinced that he could help her before he left back to New York City.

When she had accepted his offer for a date, Percy realized just how much she hated Luke. She was strong, he knew that much. And she wouldn't let Luke ruin her life easily, nor would she give up. But when Percy received her call at 8: 25 in the morning, he couldn't help but feel worried.

He didn't have to worry about Nico, for he was staying with Will for the week, doing things Percy would wish not to think about.

Now here he was, attempting to fix his messed up room, messily throwing on a shirt on and straightening his sheets for the first time. His hair was all over the place, and he cursed when he heard a knock on the door.

Once again, he looked at his room, which, thankfully, looked acceptable. Not daring to look in the mirror, knowing he looked terrible, Percy left his room and walked over to the door, running his hands through his hair.

When he opened it, his breath caught in his throat. Annabeth was there, looking beautiful, as always. He hated and loved how every single time he looked at her she looked like an absolute goddess. She looked up at him, her grey eyes questioning.

When she saw him, she breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank god. I thought you pranked me and this was the wrong hotel room."

Percy smiled and shook his head, trying to remember his name. "Nope. Come on in, and tell me what happened."

Annabeth exhaled and smiled up at him, a smile that made his heart flutter. She walked in, shutting the door behind her, and Percy gestured to the white couch in the living room.

Silently, Annabeth walked over to the sofa and sat on it, folding her arms as she did.

Percy sat across from her, and he looked at her more carefully. The angle of her cheekbones, from her perfect button nose, to her pink and plump lips that Percy so badly wanted to kiss. Her eyes were shaped perfectly, and her eyebrows complimented her face beautifully, like always. There was not a single flaw that Percy could see in Annabeth, and he never thought he would see a flaw.

"So," Percy said, trying to ignore his racing heart, "what happened?"

Annabeth looked at him as her face hardened. "Luke's fiancée, Rachel, and him, apparently wanted time alone. When I woke up, they were making out, then Luke kicked me out, saying I couldn't go back until he and Rachel were done. Which is usually after sunset."

Percy felt a spark of anger as Annabeth told him what had happened. He felt the urge to kick Luke constantly, and then to break his face, as weird as it sounded. Yet no doubt that Luke deserved it. He glanced at Annabeth, who was staring at the floor, the expression on her face blank. "Annabeth?"

She looked up at him, and Percy could swear he saw tears in her eyes. "I don't know what I did to deserve this, you know. All this shit and then my mom, I really don't know what I did."

Percy felt his heart contract as he looked at her, at just how much she was hurting. She hid it, of course, but having lived with an abusive step-father all his life, Percy understood her. He just wished she knew that.

"Hey," Percy told her, getting up from the couch, and sitting next to her, wrapping his arms around her in a hug, "It's okay."

She smelled of faint vanilla, and her hair smelled like lemons, and she sniffed and buried her head in Percy's shoulder. Percy hoped he had put his deodorant on before leaving the room.

When he felt wetness on his neck, Percy pulled away from Annabeth to see her crying. She quickly wiped them away. "I'm sorry."

Percy took her hands. "You have nothing to be sorry about. It's okay to cry."

Annabeth shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I hate to sound rude, but do you have something to eat? I'm starving."

Percy looked at her, eyebrows raised. "You haven't eaten?"

"Nope," Annabeth responded, and she yawned, making Percy's heart melt all over again. She was adorable.

"Then why the hell didn't you tell me?" Percy asked her, as he grabbed his keys from the table.

Annabeth shrugged, looking at him, confused. "What are you doing?"

Percy grinned at her, hoping what his idea was would make her feel better. "I'm taking you out."

Annabeth raised an eyebrow, "Can you come here for a minute?" Her voice was soft and gentle, and Percy gulped.

"What?" Percy asked, and she gestured for him to sit next to her again.

Reluctantly, Percy walked over, and again, sat down.

She smiled at him, and what she did next made Percy wish he could replay it over and over again.

Annabeth kissed him.

 **A/N: Here it is, the moment you've been waiting for. Sorry for not updating in five days, go ahead and call me terrible and all that. But I am trying my best to stay in schedule but I've been busy. There's a poll on my profile of which updates you guys would like to see more of, Broken or TWSH, and I'd appreciate it if you guys were to participate in it so I can see which more you'd like me to update. I was thinking of finishing TWSH first, but I'm not sure. Let me know.**

 **Anyways, for the reviews! :)**

 **KHCMC36** **: Ah..crap. Then bed of knives and nails is out of the list. Haha, I bet all of the other readers would like for me to put them as killing Luke? Maybe I could do all of you guys? Lol :) I wish. But yeah, there's Percabeth in this, too! I find it weirder than I write this and still plan out how I'll kill 'em. Weird. But I love weird! :D Thank you so much :) I do try to update, and I really hope you like this chapter!**

 **percabethbooklion: Yep. He is. Hmm..Poseidon shooting Athena? Good idea. I'll have to think about it ;) Anyways, thank you so much, love! I hope you like this story as well! :)**

 **Guest: Thank you! Guess we'll have to see how far this story goes, huh? :)**

 **crazybooknerd112: Ahhh, in a good way? I hope so. :)**

 **theartnerd333** **: A writer never reveals spoilers (unless it's small spoilers). Thank you! The way you're so specific on what you liked, and what you didn't is awesome. I get inspired so much by your reviews, thank you! I hope you like this chapter :)**

 **AutumnLeaves03: Guess you'll have to wait and see what happens, huh? ;) Thank you so much, love! I hope you liked this chapter!**

 **ShatteredOwl** **: Don't worry, you'll know soon enough :) I hope you liked this chapter, that kinda guy!**

 **LucyTheCrazyUnicorn: I missed your reviews! :) I'm still deciding on whether Frederick will know or not. Thank you! I hope you liked this chapter, love! :)**

 **WaterWarrior60** **: I started grinning when I read this. Hahah, I appreciate the spam! Thank you so much! I feel like I have gotten better, and it's kinda awesome to see you've noticed, too. Thank you so much! I absolutely won't give up on writing, don't worry ;) I hope you liked this chapter!**

 **Guest: *hyperventilates* Thank you so much! This was so nice, and I honestly am speechless. I'm trying my best to update, just stay tuned, alright? I'm sorry I suck at updating. Anyways, I hope you liked this chapter!**

 **candycrum: Glad to hear! :)**

 **Sweet Cats: I just stared at this review for like three hours. I'm glad you liked it!**

 **ophsroo: I'm still deciding on it! :) Thank you so much!**

 **That's it of the reviews. Sorry if I suck at updating, I really am. I'm trying to update a little quicker, but trying doesn't mean you always succeed. Anyways, thank you guys for reading and let me know what you think of this chapter through a review. Keep smiling, xxx.**


	20. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

 **Thank you to DaughteroftheSeaGod1015 for reviewing this and making sure it didn't have any mistakes/errors. You're like, like this awesome person and you're too awesome I can't even** _ **express**_ **you're awesomeness. Thank you.**

Annabeth's P.O.V:

Before she even knew what she was doing, Annabeth crushed her lips against Percy's. She didn't know why she did it, but the electric sparks that ran through her like a wildfire made her forget all about it.

Percy's lips were smooth against hers, as if they were somehow meant to be there.

For a moment, Percy didn't respond, making Annabeth wonder if she had made the wrong move and messed everything up, but a second later, he kissed her back, and Annabeth wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him even more.

He kissed her with just as much passion, and she felt sparks all over her body. His lips were salty, and Annabeth secretly loved it.

When they broke apart, both were gasping for air.

Percy smiled at her, a small smile that had Annabeth's heart racing even more than before. His green orbs that held so much beauty but at the same time pain, sparkled as he looked at her, and Annabeth suppressed herself from kissing him again.

"You kissed me." He stated, and nervousness bubbled inside of Annabeth.

What if she had made a mistake?

"And you kissed back," Annabeth replied as Percy laughed.

He gave her a lopsided smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "I never said I didn't like it."

As if her heart wasn't going crazy already. She didn't exactly understand why she felt this way with Percy, and why she hadn't ever felt it with Luke-

Oh, wait. Because Luke was a cheater, and he was a complete asshole who believed everything would go his way, and an abusive, ignorant bastard, while Percy was sweet, loyal and caring and he wouldn't hurt anybody-

Annabeth forced her thoughts to stop. She didn't need to think about Luke right now. She stared at Percy, the angles of his cheekbones, and his jawline, which was absolutely perfect, just like everything else about Percy. "Well, I didn't exactly hate it, either."

Percy chuckled. "Because you were the one that kissed me."

Annabeth laughed, a little delirious from kissing him. "Yes, I did."

"You're married," Percy told her, as though she hadn't remembered. "Why are you kissing me?"

Annabeth raised her eyebrows. "Oh, so you didn't _want_ me to kiss you?"

Percy quickly backtracked. "No! That's not what I meant."

Annabeth rolled her eyes, but was smiling. "Whatever you say."

Percy just grinned.

A moment later, Annabeth's stomach growled again, reminding her she still hadn't had breakfast. Even though she had no problem not eating, due to her bad luck, Percy laughed as he looked at her.

Whenever Annabeth used to do something like that in front of Luke in public, such as say she was hungry, he would hit her. She felt her heart melt when he, again, took his keys and shook them in his hand, the sound of the keys clinking together ringing in her ears.

"I believe I still need to take you out for breakfast." He told her, eyes twinkling.

Annabeth smiled.

"I wouldn't mind that."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Annabeth found herself outside of the city, in a place she had never been to before, along with the restaurant, sitting outside, as Percy flipped through the menu.

To her, it wasn't awkward after they had kissed, and from what she could assume, it wasn't for Percy, either. It felt somehow normal.

But when she thought about what would happen after that, if they would date, she knew it wasn't a possibility. She had Luke, and if he found out, he would have no problem killing her. The news about Rachel and Luke's marriage still confused her, on how Luke would manage to keep two wives and keep it a secret, being the son of the wealthiest man in the world.

There were so many things about Luke she didn't know, and yet he could have access to almost all of her files if he wanted.

She regretted it; everything she had done for Luke. It was a mistake, and if she could wish for one thing, it would be that she hadn't married Luke, or met him at all for that matter.

She'd met his family about five times, and was never sure what to think about them. May Castellan, Luke's mother, was kind and helpful towards Annabeth, but with a little bit of insanity mixed in it. Hermes barely acknowledged her, even though it was his idea for Luke to marry Annabeth in the first place, he had always looked at Annabeth as if she were something he wanted eliminated, and as weird as it sounded, the feeling was mutual.

"Annabeth?" Percy's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, and she looked up at him.

"Yeah?"

"Are you alright?" Percy asked, looking at her, concern clear in his face. "You looked like you were going to yell or something."

Annabeth shook her head, forcing a small smile. "I'm fine."

Percy raised his eyebrows, "Are you sure?"

Annabeth nodded. "Don't worry."

"Alright," Percy told her. "Are you ready to order?"

"Sure," Annabeth said, just as a waiter walked up to them.

Annabeth thought she had seen him before, but brushed it off, as he asked for their orders.

Percy looked at Annabeth, expectantly. For a second, Annabeth was surprised. She hadn't ever been allowed to order with Luke around.

A surge of respect and something Annabeth couldn't recognize went through her as Percy gestured for her to order.

Annabeth smiled, still slightly baffled, and turned to the waiter, who was watching them intently.

She looked at the menu, having no clue as to what to order. Picking a random choice, Annabeth said, "Can I have blueberry pancakes?"

The waiter nodded, writing it down onto a piece of scratch paper.

He turned to Percy. "And you?"

"I'll have the same thing," Percy replied, the sun shining onto his hair, making it seem almost dark blue in the lighting.

Again, the waiter nodded. "Your orders will be here soon." With that, he left the two alone, and Annabeth realized something.

"You know," She told Percy, "I don't really know much about you. Other than the fact that your name is Percy."

Percy looked up at her, an eyebrow raised. "Well, what would you like to know about me?"

Annabeth shrugged. "Anything, really."

"Okay." Percy told her. "Well, I'm from New York, born and raised. My favorite color is blue, and I have dyslexia-"

Annabeth interrupted him, "You have dyslexia?"

Percy nodded, "Yes, I do."

"I do, too," Annabeth admitted, and she saw Percy give her a strange look.

"But you're smart all that stuff, how do you have dyslexia?"

"Having dyslexia doesn't mean you aren't smart, Percy." Annabeth quoted, remembering what one of her middle school teachers used to tell her when she used to complain about messing up during exams.

"I know," Percy said, looking down. "But sometimes it feels like it."

Annabeth nodded, understanding. "But still."

Percy shrugged, not responding.

A second later, the waiter was at their table, putting the plate of pancakes on either side, and then handing them both their drinks, the glass filled to the top.

Annabeth smiled and nodded at him, "Thank you."

With a nod, the waiter left once again, leaving Annabeth alone with Percy. She looked down onto her blueberry pancakes, and suddenly felt as though she hadn't ate in years.

Percy mumbled something, and Annabeth looked up. "What did you say?"

"My mom used to make blue pancakes," He said, louder, but there was sad edge to it as he spoke. "Every Saturday, she used to wake me up with a plate of blue pancakes and we'd, we'd eat together, while Gabe was out. Gabe was my abusive step-father." Percy added, as he saw the look on Annabeth's face.

Annabeth nodded, feeling sadness overwhelm her as she heard Percy.

"Anyways, she used to make blue food with me, because one day Gabe said it was impossible. She proved him wrong. You know, I still don't understand why she stayed with him. But she did. She never once got mad at him, and she let him hit her, not saying anything. It broke me until I was just not able to be fixed. And when she was diagnosed with cancer-" Percy's voice cracked, and Annabeth could swear she saw tears glistening in her eyes.

Annabeth tried to reach over, and laid a hand on Percy's shoulder.

"Hey," She told him, her voice soft. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want."

He shook his head, "No. I do want to."

Annabeth smiled reassuringly at him.

Percy took a deep breath before continuing. "When she was diagnosed with stage four cancer, she knew she wasn't going to make it. But she still held strong as I visited her everyday after third grade, and not once did she say she was going to die. But she knew she would. I know she did. When she did die, I completely fell apart. I had no choice but to live with Gabe, then, being only eight or nine. That's when I met Nico. He lost his mother and sister, too, and he was always there for me, through thick and thin. We connected almost instantly, and since then, we've been best friends."

Annabeth glanced at Percy, his sea-green eyes, which were slightly darker, and how his face was set into a thin line, as he shut his eyes tightly.

"I think it's not fair," He told Annabeth, his voice now steady. "How such innocent people can lose their lives from some stupid cause they couldn't stop."

Annabeth thought about her mother, and how she was practically the brink of death. "I agree, Percy."

He didn't meet her gaze, instead decided to stare at his plate.

After a couple seconds, Annabeth reached up, again. "Percy, I'm really sorry for what happened. But you know, both good things and bad things happen in our lives. And it doesn't matter what they are, but what does matter is how we let them impact us."

Percy nodded, "I guess."

"Now come on," She told Percy, taking a bite out of her blueberry pancake. "Eat."

Percy shook his head. "I lost my appetite."

Annabeth sighed, "Percy, listen, I know it's probably hard and it would feel terrible, but please, just eat."

Percy shrugged, "Can I just take this as a to go thing?"

Annabeth took a sip of her orange juice, the sour yet sweet liquid washing down all the taste of the blueberry and freshening Annabeth, and pointed to Percy's. "Fine, at least drink that."

Apparently agreeing, Percy took the orange juice, still filled to the top, and started drinking it. Feeling guilt go through her at the fact that she had practically reminded Percy of his mom, Annabeth breathed a sigh of relief as she looked around the exterior of the cafe.

All around the place, there were little kids and parents, and couples, sitting in the chairs, talking and laughing. It broke Annabeth's heart to know she probably wouldn't ever live the happy life they lived.

She turned her head to Percy as she heard the sound of glass slamming against the table, and saw the glass was completely empty, and looked up to see a grinning Percy.

"There." Percy told her, giving her a lopsided grin.

Annabeth stared at him. It had been barely thirty seconds. "What? How did you do that?"

Percy winked at her. "I'm pretty special."

Annabeth smiled, unable to help herself. "Oh, believe me, I know."

Percy chuckled, a deep rumbling noise that had Annabeth even more attracted to him. He got up, and Annabeth watched, confused, as he pulled out his wallet. "What are you doing?"

Percy looked at her as if she said something stupid. "I'm paying the bill."

Annabeth, herself, got up. "Nope. You're here because of me. Don't you dare."

Percy raised an eyebrow. "And you've barely eaten."

Annabeth gestured to her half-eaten pancakes, then at his. "You're talking?"

Percy shrugged, "I'm just paying the bill, Annabeth. Relax."

Annabeth shook her head, "I'll pay."

Percy sighed. "Why won't you let me pay?"

"Because this is my fault." Annabeth stated.

Percy raised his eyebrow, and shook his head. "Nope."

Annabeth stared at him, her grey eyes looking into his gorgeous green ones. Suddenly, his eyes started to twinkle, and he dashed off, running towards the door.

Annabeth, quickly getting to the door, ran after him, a smile stretching across her face as she ran into the interior of the cafe, the smell of bread lingering in the air. But Percy was already ahead of her, at the register.

She saw people give her weird looks as she cursed and ran through the restaurant, almost knocking over one of the waiters' trays, as she came to a halt on the desk.

Too late. Percy was already extending his hand out for the receipt, a small grin on his face. He turned to Annabeth, waving the receipt in his hand, smirking.

Annabeth glared at him, but it wasn't completely full of anger. She huffed, crossing her arms as they walked out of the restaurant, "I'm paying next time."

Percy turned to her, a grin on his face. "There's going to be next time?"

Annabeth blushed, and shrugged. "Maybe."

Percy winked at her as he pushed the door open. He saw the waiter taking their plates, and Percy's mouth fell open. "I was going to _eat_ that!"

Annabeth grinned, and opened her purse. She had stolen a Pop Tart from Percy's counter before they left, and handed it to him. He raised an eyebrow at her, but nonetheless took it.

"Is this mine?"

Annabeth shrugged, again. "Yep."

Percy sighed as if he were annoyed, but the grin on his face gave it away. "Well, thanks. Nice to know I have you stealing my food now."

 _Says the one stealing my heart._ Annabeth brushed the thought off, scolding herself. She forced a laugh, and hit Percy's shoulder, softly. "Oh, shut up."

He took a bit out of his Pop Tart as they walked, and somehow, it felt normal to Annabeth. Even though this wasn't her idea of going on a date for breakfast, she didn't feel ashamed. Especially when she was with Percy.

She turned to Percy, who was still walking next to her. Feeling rude but needing to ask, Annabeth said, "What now?"

She didn't really think Percy would want to spend time with her, and felt bad for clinging onto him, just for her problems.

But Percy didn't seem to mind. He glanced at her with a small smile.

"I'm taking you out to the city."

Annabeth raised her eyebrows, "Why?"

"Because," Percy said, lacing his fingers with Annabeth's, where they fit perfectly, "I need to scratch 'take a beautiful girl named Annabeth to the city' off my bucket list."

* * *

Thalia's P.O.V:

Thalia cursed as she skimmed through the files in the private room, not finding the one she desired.

A knock came from the doorway, and Thalia turned her head to see one of her coworkers and also close friend, Reyna at the door, a file in her hand. She walked over to Thalia, her dark brown eyes calculating as she held up the file.

"You were looking for this?" Reyna asked.

Thalia nodded, getting up from her kneeling position at the drawers where the files were placed.

Reyna handed it to her, as she watched with a piercing expression. "What do you need with Hermes Castellan's private files?"

Thalia opened it up, as she skimmed through the papers, not looking up as she answered. "I need to know where the address is."

Reyna raised a perfect eyebrow, "The address for your best friend?"

Thalia nodded, still not completely focused on her coworker.

Reyna leaned against the wall. "How's that going to help you find it?"

"Well," Thalia said, looking up from the file, "I have a feeling that the warehouse that Luke mentioned is where Hermes used to work, or should I say 'kill' innocent people."

Reyna nodded, "Is it there?"

"Yep," Thalia told her, reading an address that sparked back memories. Memories she didn't want to remember.

Raising her eyebrows, Reyna asked her co worker, "And what do you plan to do with the address?"

Thalia shrugged. "Go to it."

Reyna's eyebrows went even higher, "What if it isn't safe?"

Thalia smirked as she set the file down. "Oh, honey, I'm _all_ about not safe."

 **A/N: Well, there's that with chapter 17. Was it OOC? I'm sorry it took six days, but hopefully this made up for it. I've had this ready to go for hours but couldn't upload it. Would you guys want me to make a chapter with Percy and Annabeth out in the city or no? Let me know. Plus, I think we all need Reyna/Thalia friendship in our life. Anyways, onto the reviews before anything else, my beauties. :)**

 **theartnerd333** **: Thank you so much! About Rachel, I guess you'll have to see why she's in the story, huh? ;) Thalia is just awesome, and I will have her play a part, but that's all I'll tell you, love ;) Thank you so much! You're such an inspiration. I love you :)**

 **AutumnLeaves03: Hm..nice idea. Guess you'll have to see ;) Thank you so much! I hope you liked this chapter as well!**

 **KHCMC36** **: Well, my beta and I have talked about who's going to die/who's going to prison, and I think we already know who'll die and stuff. Now, you don't know, and that's something you will have to find out once the time comes ;) Haha, what's Gone? A book? I'm totally all about books breaking me, since that's pretty much all they do. Anyways, aww, this is just so nice I can't even. I was gonna start off with Thalia/Reyna but was like, "Nah. They hate me enough." Haha, well. That's that. Thank you so much, love! I wish I could hug you, like, I swear. I can say the same to you; don't stop being awesome. I love you! :)**

 **BubbleEwa** **: I missed your review! Even if it were for just a chapter. Thank you! Nope, it's illegal to have two wives. Or at least I think it is. But that'll get you thinking again about how Luke can have two wives if it's illegal and I'll be sitting here cackling because you don't know yet. Anyways, thank you! I agree. PERCABETH SHALL RULE THE WORLD.**

 **Guest: ;) Oh, guest.**

 **BooksaremyBestbuddies: Oh my, where the hell do I start? Thank you so much, honestly. Bro, you have made my month/year/life. Thank you. Oh my gosh I'm kinda speechless right now so excuse my lack of words. Thank you so much, love! I can't say it enough, and I hope you like this chapter!**

 **ophsroo: Annabeth does need to call the cops, but..does she? Guess you'll have to see ;) Anyways, thank you! I hope you liked this chapter as well, love!**

 **Izzabella Dragomir: This made my day. Thank you! Dude, let's be honest, alright? Jake Abel is totally my celebrity crush. Seriously. I like Luke, too. But just not in this. I barely have any stable ships, so don't get me started on mine. I swear sometimes it can be a sixsome. *sighs* The life of a fangirl. Anyways, thank you so much! I hope you liked this chapter, love! :)**

 **candycrum** **: Yes, yes they did )**

 **PUGA1414** **: I'm so glad to hear that, love! Thank you :)**

 **Defective Wolf** **: Oh my gosh, I know right. (Even though Luke is my character and I make him do these stuff) I hate Luke to death.**

 **TurtleHurtle: OH MY GOD THANK YOU ILY PERSON.**

 **7** **: Thank you! I hope you like this chapter :)**

 **clo7615** **: I am so glad to hear! Thanks so much, darling! I hope you like this chapter too :)**

 **iluvboooks** **: Your stories are like, life. Thank you so much, love! I hope you liked this chapter? :)**

 **Sonochu** **: Oh my gosh I can't answer that without revealing everything. All shall be explained later on, trust me. Thank you so much! :)**

 **ryanloves percy and annabeth** **: Aww, thank you! I hope you have a good day as well, love! I'm really glad you like TWSH :D**

 **Frazel: There was Caleo and Jasper. Frazel..not sure yet. I guess we'll see. Anyway, thank you! :)**

 **WaterWarrior60** **: Cheesy endings, are like, the bomb. Especially when they have Percabeth, am I right? Reyna is in this story, she'll play a part :) Don't you worry, love. Thank you so much! I hope you liked this chapter! :)**

 **nicky: Aw, thanks! I'm really glad you like it, hun. :)**

 **keridaislandgal** **: Happy endings? Pfft. What are those? Anyways, thank you so much! I hope you liked this chapter! :)**

 **So there's it with the reviews. Anyways, I really hope you liked this chapter. Stay safe. Keep smiling, xxx.**


	21. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

 **A/N: What's this? An update? Why, yes it is! After, like, a month, huh? Sorry. I'll have a lame excuse of why I haven't updated at the end, so if you'd like to read it, go ahead. But wait. You gotta read this chapter first. Okay, beauties? Cool.**

 **Special thanks to DaughteroftheSeaGod1015, who is just magnificent, and took her own time, even though she's busy, to read over this and make sure it's fine. Thank you so much! :)**

Percy's P.O.V:

A grin stretched across Percy's face as Annabeth tried balancing a spoon on her nose, and muttered under her breath as it fell down just half a second later.

He shook his head, and reached over onto the table, where the spoon had fell. After picking it up, he balanced it perfectly in one attempt, and watched Annabeth raise her both her eyebrows at him, her gaze both calculating and amused.

"You're cheating," Annabeth stated, still watching him.

Percy shook his head, the spoon still not falling. "You just can't do it, Annabeth."

"I can!" Annabeth huffed, and crossed her arms, an indignant look on her face.

Percy laughed, unable to help himself. Somehow, there was just _something_ about Annabeth that made him almost delirious, and he didn't understand what this girl did to him. "You're just jealous because _you can't do it._ "

Annabeth rolled her eyes, but a small smile twitched at her lips, and Percy gave himself a point for the small victory. "You're hopeless."

"No," Percy said. "You are."

The girl sitting across from him shook her head in amusement, her blonde curls flying everywhere. She checked the clock, which Percy saw read 5:21, and turned back to Percy.

"Thanks for this, by the way," Annabeth said to him, as she lifted her legs up and sat criss-cross on the couch of Percy's hotel, the couch squeaking and creaking beneath her.

"Thanks for what?" Percy asked her, as he scooted over to make space for Annabeth. Nico still wasn't home, even after this long, and Percy couldn't help but wonder what he was doing for so long at Will's, and didn't want to know.

Annabeth gaped at him. "For everything! You took me out, and wasted your time on my problems, you didn't eat breakfast and you did it because of _me_ , and then you decided to spend more of your time and money on me, as if I'm not just a stranger you met a couple weeks ago to you. Thank you for listening to me about all this shit in my life and Luke, and actually being there for me when not nobody else is, well, except for Thalia. And for this-" Annabeth gestured to the room around her as if that explained everything. "For giving me a place to stay. Percy, it really means a lot."

Percy grinned at her, and moved closer to her as he spoke. "That's because you aren't a stranger to me, Annabeth. You're my friend-"

He broke off at the look on Annabeth's face. "What?"

When Annabeth spoke, there was an edge to her voice. "Friend?"

Percy raised an eyebrow at her, "What?"

"We're just friends?" Annabeth repeated.

Percy looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Percy, we _kissed._ And we're still 'friends'?"

"You're married. You have other things on your mind than what we are-"

"What are we, then?" Annabeth asked him, biting her lip.

Percy shook his head. "I don't know. You're married."

"That doesn't mean I want to be. Besides, if I didn't want to be with you, why would I have kissed you?"

Percy was silent for a moment, unable to answer. "It just seems wrong."

"You and I seems wrong?" Annabeth asked, and Percy could sense a hint of hurt in her voice.

He quickly shook his head, "No, that's not what I mean. It's just-"

"Just what?"

Percy let out a sigh, "Nevermind."

Annabeth was silent. When Percy looked at her, he saw she was looking down onto her lap.

Feeling guilt wash over him, Percy reached out for her hand. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say I didn't want to be with you, because I do. You do crazy things to me, Annabeth, and I don't understand any of this and why I'm suddenly so attracted to you, but I am. Don't think I'm not, and I'd love to be with you, but your husband-"

"He can't do anything." Annabeth spoke. "He just gives me threats. I don't care if this is called cheating, I'd cheat on him. I don't even love him."

"So why not leave him?"

Again, Annabeth didn't answer right away. "He hurt my mom, I know he did, and I know he isn't lying when he says he knows who shot her. I know that. But I want to be with you, believe it or not. I've never met somebody who I've felt this connected to and the fact that you want to be with me is shocking. It's not, well. It's not something I'm used to."

Percy smiled at her, and squeezed her hand. "Well, I'll make you used to it."

Percy didn't know what was happening, but a minute later, Annabeth's lips were on Percy's once again, as she kissed him deeply, even harder than before, and tangled her hands in his messy dark hair.

He kissed her back just as fast, feeling electricity running through his veins as his lips connected with her smooth and soft ones.

He could feel her hands on his hair, pulling slightly, and she smiled against his lips when he bit hers lightly, resulting in her gasping.

Percy took the advantage and slide his tongue inside of her mouth, where she tasted like strawberries and lemon, a scent that Percy suddenly adored.

"What the hell?" A voice broke the two apart, both gasping for air as they looked at the person who had interrupted their rather passionate kissing.

Nico was standing there, shock and slight disgust mixed into his features as he looked at his best friend, and then at the girl sitting next to him, jaw dropped.

Percy felt heat rush to his face as he took in the situation, and saw that somehow, Annabeth's leg was thrown over Percy lap, making it even more awkward than before.

"What the hell?" Nico repeated again, yet his tone yet a hint of amusement.

Before Percy could speak, Annabeth stood up and smiled at Nico. "I'm Annabeth Chase," she said, holding her hand out.

"Chase.." Nico muttered under his breath. "I think that I've heard that before."

Annabeth smiled up at him, but it seemed nervous. "That's pretty cool."

Seeming lost in thought, Nico nodded, and held his hand out as he shook hands with her. "Nico di Angelo."

"How're you and Will?" Annabeth asked, and suddenly she clamped a hand over her mouth, as if she said something she didn't mean to.

Nico looked at her, eyes narrowed. "How do you know Will?"

Annabeth laughed, nervously. She stole a nervous glance at Percy before answering, "Percy told me."

Percy's eyebrows shot up, and he looked at Annabeth with a look of surprise as she lied easily, but she looked at Percy with a strange look, and Percy could read her eyes. _Please go with it._

Even though he was confused on to what was happening, Percy nodded at Nico's direction.

"It slipped." He said, sheepishly.

Nico rolled his eyes, but seemed to have bought it. Percy felt guilty of lying to his best friend, but nonetheless tried to ignore it.

Annabeth suddenly looked at the clock, and said, "Well, it's late, I have to go."

Percy felt a wave of disappointment run through him, and he felt his heart contract. "Why?"

Annabeth offered him a smile, and responded, "My husb-dad is probably wondering where I am."

Percy noticed the little slip up, and raised his eyebrows. "I'm sure you can stay."

Annabeth shook her head, and grabbed her purse from the coffee table, "I'll be leaving."

Percy stood up, completely against Annabeth going back home. "Annabeth."

Annabeth shook her head, slightly, watching Nico from the corner of her eye.

Percy immediately getting the message, "At least let me walk you to the door."

Annabeth sighed, exasperated. "Fine."

Percy smiled slightly, but it was quickly wiped off his face once he realized that Annabeth would be going back to Luke's.

They walked silently to the door, and Percy noticed Nico watching them, curiously, but his gaze left them as he turned the T.V. on, his attention completely gone from the two.

"Okay," Annabeth said as they reached the door. "You walked me here. Now, I'll be going-"

"You aren't going to Luke's." Percy interrupted, standing in front of the door.

Annabeth raised her eyebrows, "Why not?"

"Because it isn't safe, Annabeth."

"I've been married to him for eight months, I'm pretty sure I'm safe."

" _No."_

Annabeth rolled her eyes, "Percy, let me leave."

"Go to a friend's house."

"I'm not going to be asking my friend's for help all the time, I can handle it myself." Annabeth spoke in a steady voice, and Percy saw that her chin was up in the air when she spoke.

A thought suddenly hit Percy, and he couldn't help but ask, "Annabeth, what was with the 'Percy told me about Will' thing earlier?"

Annabeth's eyes widened slightly, and she gave him a tight smile. "You know, uh, well-"

"How did you know?" Percy asked her, wondering she had personally already known Will.

 _What if they used to date?_

The thought was irrational and stupid, but Percy felt a tug at his heart and chest as he thought about it, but quickly brushed it off. Annabeth was married.

 _But that didn't stop her from kissing you._

Ignoring it, Percy watched Annabeth with a curious gaze.

"I-"

"Was it Andrew?" Percy interrupted, a million other thoughts going through his head. "Which, speaking of him, you didn't tell me how you two were related before, either."

"Tell you what," Annabeth said. "I promise I'll tell you, once I get the time. Right now I really have to go-"

Percy crossed his arms over his chest, "You aren't leaving."

"I regret coming here," Percy heard Annabeth mutter, before looking at him with an irritated look. "I promise I'll be safe. Remember that promise we made? I won't break it."

A surge of emotion went over Percy as he thought about how Annabeth hadn't forgotten about, but he sighed. "No."

"If I'm late, he'll just hit me. I don't want that."

" _You aren't supposed to be limited in the first place on when you should come home and when you shouldn't while your husband is in the house, perfectly safe, doing things with another girl."_

Annabeth smiled bitterly. "Welcome to my life."

"I'm willing to change your life, then."

"You already have."

Percy looked up at her, "What?"

Annabeth shook her head, quickly. "Nothing."

"Okay.." Percy trailed off, and Annabeth flushed a brilliant shade of red.

"Forget it, but Percy, please let me go. This isn't fair." Annabeth said.

Percy sighed, "Annabeth, I just want you safe."

She smiled up at him, that oh-so beautiful smile at him that had his knees weak. "I'll be okay."

Percy shook his head, but nonetheless opened the door, feeling both hatred and guilt for himself she kissed him on the cheek, a stinging sensation Percy wanted more of, and left through the hotel door.

Although, before she turned to the corner where she couldn't be visible, Annabeth turned to him, and with a small smile, turned, leaving Percy to stare after her a minute before taking a deep breath.

After a couple seconds, he turned back around, and jumped as he saw Nico standing on the doorway, eyebrow raised. "Mind telling me who the girl who was practically sucking your face was?"

Percy blushed, heat rushing to his face as he tried to hide it. "That was Annabeth."

Nico snorted. "No shit. When did you meet her?"

"A couple days ago," Percy responded, casually.

"And you're already getting intimate?"

Percy blushed, again, even harder. "We weren't doing anything!"

"Yeah, right." The sarcasm laced in Nico's voice was evident.

"I don't know, Nico."

"What do you mean?" Nico asked as Percy and him went to sit back onto the couch.

"I mean, I don't know what to do about how I feel about her."

"What do you mean?" Nico repeated, again.

"She has someone else."

"Oh," Nico said. "Damn, Perce."

Not exactly telling Nico what had happened, and feeling waves of guilt overcome him, Percy nodded. "I know."

Nico exhaled. "You really like her, then, don't you?"

Percy smiled without even noticing.

"Yeah, she's something extraordinary."

* * *

Annabeth's P.O.V:

"Where the hell were you?"

Annabeth turned to see Luke, watching her with a steady gaze as she shut the door behind her.

Feeling the somewhat satisfying sound of the door clicking behind her, Annabeth prepared herself for what was to come.

"Are you done with your fiancé yet?" Annabeth spat.

"Where were you, bitch?" Luke demanded, his voice even more prominent.

"Why do you care?"

"Answer me," Luke gripped Annabeth's wrist, his nails digging into the fabric of her shirt.

"I wasn't anywhere."

"Really?" Luke mused, a smirk dancing on his lips.

"Yes, really." Annabeth tried to keep her voice steady.

"Your shirt says otherwise."

Annabeth looked down, instinctively, and before she could ask Luke what he meant, he was grabbing her throat as he pushed her against the wall.

"Wha-"

"Listen to me," he growled, "I am your husband. You're my slave. You do what I tell you, or I swear to you I can make things worse than they already are, Chase."

Annabeth almost laughed at his use of her last name prior she got married, but had trouble with his hand closed around her throat.

He gave her throat a tight squeeze, making Annabeth suck in a breath, and then slapped her hard multiple times with the hand that wasn't on her throat.

By the fifth slap, Annabeth's cheek was numb. She tried to ignore the pain and to prevent herself from yelling out, knowing it was exactly what Luke wanted to hear.

"You," Luke spat back at her with another hard slap, "belong to ME, and me alone."

"No I don't," Annabeth couldn't prevent herself from talking.

Another slap. "What did you say?"

"Nothing."

His grip on Annabeth tightened and she winced at the pain.

"Say that you belong to me."

When she didn't reply, Luke tightened his hold even more, and Annabeth stopped her breathing.  
She could feel the pain in her lungs, as Luke told her again, "Say it or I will kill you."

 _You're too much of a wimp to do that._

"Who do you belong to?" Luke asked, and Annabeth couldn't speak, she was running out of air, once again.

"Do you belong to me?" Luke asked, and let go once Annabeth nodded.

"Good." And with another, slap to the face, Luke smirked and left Annabeth leaning against the wall, panting for breath as she glared at the doorway where Luke had left from.

Gasping, Annabeth heard the phone ring from her purse, which was still hung on her hand, and surprised, she fished the phone out of her purse, and saw it was Frederick.

Slightly worried, Annabeth picked it up, still slightly panting, "Hello?"

"Annabeth?" Frederick's worried tone came from the other line.

"Yes?" Annabeth told him, her voice higher than before.

"Why do you sound so tired?" Frederick asked her, and Annabeth could sense something was wrong by his voice.

"Nothing, don't worry. Just exhausted. What's wrong?" Annabeth responded.

Frederick was silent for a moment. "Do you have any black dresses?"

A sinking feeling stirred in her stomach when she answered, "No, why?"

"You need to get one, then. By Saturday."

"What's on Saturday?" Annabeth questioned, feeling as though she was about to throw up.

Frederick took a deep breath before answering.

"Your mother's funeral."

 **A/N: There you have it, folks! I hope it wasn't too bad, or short, in that matter. First of all, I am really,** _ **really,**_ **sorry for not updating. School started, things got in the way, homework, all of that and I never have any time to write. My private user on my computer doesn't work, and I have to use my brother's which is a huge risk of actually doing it. I am really sorry, you guys. But, with me being stupid, I sprained my ankle today and got a day off of school! Yay! Well, sorta. It hurts like hell, but anyways, onto the reviews. WHICH BY THE GUYS, OH MY GOSH, WE REACHED 300? THANK YOU GUYS OH MY GOSH I'M LITERALLY SPEECHLESS. I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH I CAN'T EVEN. YOU GUYS MEAN THE WORLD TO ME, HOLY SHIT.**

 **KHCMC36: Haha, your reviews always make me smile. I can't tell you who dies, but hey, don't you know who does now? I lost my sanity once I joined this fandom, tbh. And oh my gosh, thank you! Luke is just, an asshole. I couldn't do that, it'd cause so many uneven reactions and shit I'm turning this into chemistry. Haha, sorry. Thank you so much! I hope you liked this chapter, too! I'm really sorry for being suck-ish at updating. Funny name story? Haha, go for it! I don't exactly** _ **HATE**_ **my name, but it's, like, really unusual. But nonethless, thanks! :)**

 **Izzabella Dragomir: For some odd reason, you remind me of Isabelle Lightwood. Maybe it's the username? I don't know, but you do. Honestly, I don't even think stable ships are a thing unless it's Percabeth. I hope you like this chapter! :)**

 **candycrum: Haha, I agree!**

 **theartnerd333: Christineeee, I love you to death. Oh my gosh, thank you so much! You don't know how lucky I am to have you, goddammit I can't stop grinning. My favorite character? Hmm..I don't know. Thalia. I like Thalia, haha. How about yours? ;)**

 **iluvbooks: HOLY SHIT. Thank you! Your stories are absolutely amazing, love. I really hope you liked this chapter! I'm kinda nervous for you to read this, because, well, I don't know. I just really hope you like it!**

 **WaterWarrior60: Haha, I bet. I hope you liked this chapter!**

 **BubbleEwa: Hm..maybe she does play a role? ;) Holy crap your review is making me blush. Thank you so much! Really, I say it way too much to the point where you're probably like, "Does she even say anything else?" but I really can't say it enough. Honestly, I love you! :)**

 **Frazel: Totally cool, love! Aw, you're welcome! You're even more amazing than this chapter!**

 **Shattered Owl: Badass Thalia is something we all need in our lives, okay? Anyways, happy early birthday something like that present! I hope you like it, that kinda guy. Forget about the balloons and candy, lmao. See? I laugh at my own jokes. But I hope you like this chapter!**

 **TurtleHurtle: You may be right.. ;)**

 **clo7615: I gotta say, I liked it too. Thank you so much! I hope this chapter appeals to you!**

 **Guest: Could you? ;)**

 **ryanloves percy and annabeth: Holy shiit, stop it. This is just, gosh. I'm like, sitting here, hyperventilating at this review. Seriously, this review is just amazing. Thank you so much, love. I really hope this chapter isn't that bad, and that you don't hate me.**

 **IAmCrystalClear: Thanks! :) I'm trying to update the best I can. Love you too! :)**

 **123: Seriously? Awesome! There's so many other fanfictions to reveal, though, haha. Once you join fanfiction, you cannot go back.**

 **Booksnerds222022: Haha..almost a month? I suck, I know. Anyways, thank you! I'm glad you like it :)**

 **CassylovesPercabeth: Aw. Thanks! :) I am not Rick Riordan, but are you sure you're not the best person in the world, beauty? Thank you!**

 **Vanne-the-bookworm: Ahh, thank you!**

 **Sonochu: Hmm, what makes you think Luke would really care that much? Besides, maybe Annabeth has some other money she saved up before she got married? Plus I doubt Luke would really care** _ **that**_ **much about like, $10, that he'd have the exact amount of money he has in his mind and goes through it everyday, right? Take it whichever way you want.**

 **ophrsoo: Oh, haha..Luke's in this chapter! And some others yet to come! Thank you! :D**

 **Somebody: Oh, I remember your review! It was sweet. Your review made me start to get more motivated, and yeah. I'm glad you like it, honestly! It's nice to see you don't hate where it's going.**

 **Ninja Lordess: I AM CONTINUING, MY LOVE.**

 **ThatOneRepairBoy: Hmm?**

 **That's all the reviews! :) My ankle is killing me, but I decided to get up and do something useful. I look forward to your reviews. Thank you, to whoever's reading this, for not giving up on this story! I love you guys, really. And, I might not update for a while, but I'm honestly trying. Stay safe, okay? Keep smiling, xxx.**


	22. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

 **Special thanks to BubbleEwa for helping me get the ideas and motivation for this chapter! You're awesome!**

 **Also, thank you to the brilliant DaughteroftheSeaGod1015 for being the best beta ever. :)**

Hermes's P.O.V:

Luke's eyes glared into his father's, "It wasn't my fault."

Hermes sighed as he looked at his son, feeling sadness go through him as he looked at his son. "I didn't raise you like this."

Luke laughed, and when he spoke, his voice was bitter. "You never raised me. You were too busy with all of your fame to actually give a shit about your family."

"That isn't true, Luke. I gave everything I could to you."

"But what you gave to me, I didn't want." Luke retorted.

Ignoring what Luke said, Hermes continued. "I tried giving you everything I possibly could, and you turned out like this? Like some jerk who doesn't even care about his wife?"

"I do care about her," Luke defended. "You don't have the right-"

"Then go with her to her mother's funeral. Don't leave her going herself, it wasn't her fault her mother died. You're supposed to be there for her." Hermes said, forcing his voice to be lighter.

He didn't exactly understand how Annabeth's mother died, but Luke had informed him of the fact that she had a heart attack and didn't make it. Though it hadn't exactly seemed like the most reasonable answer, Hermes bought it.

Luke studied him with a gaze before snorting. "Why?"

"Because that's what you do for the people you love. Be there for her." Hermes replied, and the sinking feeling in his chest guessed what Luke would say next.

"You'd know? It's not like you were ever there for me."

Exasperated, Hermes ran a hand through his hair. "Luke-"

Before he could respond, a ringing noise came from his pocket and Hermes inwardly cursed at the bad timing.

Luke watched him with a gaze that held both fake amusement and frustration, "Take it. It's probably important."

"No, it's not. I was talking to you."

"Just take it," Luke said, "I don't care. I was leaving anyways."

Taking a deep breath, Hermes pulled out his phone, too tired to say no. He looked at the ID.

 _Work. "_ I have to take this."

Luke raised an eyebrow, "Of course."

"I'm sorry," Hermes said, but nonetheless, picked up the phone.

"No," Luke said, standing up. "You aren't."

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Annabeth's P.O.V:

The black dress Annabeth wore fit her perfectly. It wasn't that she didn't like it; she had to admit, it was beautiful. But it wasn't the type of beautiful that had her wanting to twirl around. It was a sick kind of beautiful, like the sky outside, with it's dark clouds and slightly cold wind.

It was also a sick day. To her, everything seemed unusual, and her heart was heavy, her eyes undoubtedly puffy from the amount of crying she had done the night before.

"Annie?" Thalia's soft voice came from the doorway.

Annabeth turned and gave her a small smile, "Yeah?"

"I made you something before we left," Thalia said, coming towards her, in a black dress.

Annabeth felt gratefulness as she looked at the food that Thalia had obviously made, due to its messily placed food, but shook her head.

"I'm not hungry," Annabeth said, her stomach heavy and churning.

"I know." Thalia told her, her voice more gentle. "But I thought-"

"How is it fair?" Annabeth burst out, randomly. "Why did she have to die? What did she _ever_ do, Thals? She had nothing to do with this, and it was all my fault, I didn't even know, oh fucking god, if I hadn't been so _stupid,_ maybe she wouldn't be dead! I didn't do anything and now she's gone, and I don't even know how to function! I can't go to the funeral, I can't be reminded that the only reason my mother is dead is because of my selfish and stupidness-"

" _Annabeth Chase."_ Thalia's firm voice interjected. "Shut up. You know that isn't true. You didn't kill her, you don't even know _who_ killed her. Don't jump to stupid conclusions. It was anything but your fault-"

She broke off when she saw Annabeth crying, and Annabeth quickly wiped the tears ago, scolding herself.

"I hate this."

"Then let me help you," Thalia said.

Annabeth looked up at her best friend, staring into her eyes. She remembered how they used to intimidate her back in high school, when she thought Thalia and her would never be friends. Even though Annabeth wasn't easily intimidated, she knew she saw determination in Thalia's eyes the first time she'd seen her.

She thought about Luke, and couldn't help but have the urge to throw a vase at the the wall. She didn't know where he was, which was something she was used to, and the anger inside of her grew.

"I have the urge to throw something," Annabeth muttered, and judging by the look on Thalia's face, she had heard her.

Thalia nodded. "Give me a second," And with that, Thalia was gone, having disappeared somewhere.

Annabeth sighed, feeling the stress and heaviness against her heart as she sat down on the bed. She braced her hands against the sheets, wanting to escape. She felt as though something was physically missing, like a piece of her had broken.

But she couldn't get it back. That was the thing about death, it was permanent and took its toll on the people around it, whether people liked it or not.

Or maybe it wasn't death. Maybe it was life.

A moment later, Thalia was back, a vase in her hands. She held it out to Annabeth, the blue in the vase glittering in the light. "Throw it."

Annabeth gaped at her, "What?"

"Throw it," Thalia repeated, and shook it in Annabeth's face. "Take it."

Annabeth shook her head. "Thalia, your co-worker gave you that vase! It must be worth, what? $50?"

Thalia grinned, "Nah. He just gave it to me cause he said it looked horrible at his house and that I could do whatever I wanted with it. Now throw it."

"I can't just throw-"

"Yes," Thalia interrupted. "You can. Now do it."

"It must be worth so much! Breaking it would just ruin it-"

"Valuable things are broken, like you."

Annabeth sighed, and even though she wanted to refuse, she still wanted to throw something. "Fine."

Thalia smiled, and handed it to her. "Cool. Now at the wall, over there. Pretend like its your emotions in that thing, and you're letting them go."

Annabeth smiled, slightly. "Are you my best friend or therapist?"

Thalia chuckled. "I can be both."

Annabeth held the vase in her hand, feeling the delicacy. She looked at the wall, imagining it was Luke, and felt a burst of anger go through her.

"That," Annabeth said, "you can be."

And threw the vase.

It shattered into over a dozen pieces, the sound piercing Annabeth's ears, but making her relax at the same time.

Thalia whistled low, "Nice."

Annabeth glanced at her, and smiled. "That was pretty enjoyable."

Thalia nodded. "Sounded like it."

"Thank you," Annabeth said. "For everything."

Thalia's mouth quirked up and she held her arms out. "Come on, Annie."

Annabeth didn't decline. She got up and hugged Thalia, burying her head in her best friend's shoulder as she felt tears well up in her eyes again. "Thals, what would I do without you?"

"I don't know," Thalia said. "You'd live a pretty suckish life."

Annabeth laughed, though it broke her heart. "Can't deny that. I can't thank you enough for being there for me."

Thalia pulled away, and when she spoke, she had a glint in her electric eyes.

"What else are friends for?"

* * *

Annabeth regretted coming.

She was standing in the very back, as the people in front spoke in passages and reciting things she hadn't even bothered learning. The only person she knew there was Thalia. She'd guessed the others came from outside, and the rest were Athena's relatives she had never seen before.

Still, she didn't care about talking to them. She felt suddenly stupid for attending. What was the point of coming to funerals if the person was already dead? Why waste your time mourning the person when they were already gone?

She bit her lip as memories came rushing through her about her mother, and the weight of the guilt and stress was upon her in an instant.

From what she was told, Athena had been shot in her brain, causing severe brain damage, and they hadn't been able to help her. Even if she had woken up, the doctor had told Annabeth, Athena would have most likely suffered from amnesia and multiple things Annabeth didn't want to think about.

Maybe it was easier when you were dead. Maybe you didn't have to deal with the pain anymore and could forget about everything when you were dead.

"Annie," Thalia's urgent voice snapped Annabeth out of her thoughts. "You want to go say something?"

Annabeth shook her head, and the heaviness she had felt before was back. "Thalia," Annabeth said. "Can I talk go up to her casket?"

Thalia nodded, a sad look in her eyes. "I'll be waiting."

Annabeth gave her a grateful smile, and when the voices of the people had quieted down and there was nobody near the casket, she walked up, ignoring the stares she received from other people. Trying to be strong, Annabeth took a deep breath and knelt down to the casket.

It was scary that her mother was beyond the casket, and just the lifeless body was left. Gathering all her courage, Annabeth began to speak.

"Mom..I'm sorry. This is all my fault, and I can't even express how much I want to bury myself in a hole and just die right now. I'm not sure how to feel, and I know I've never talked to you about my emotions before. But I never wanted to marry Luke, and I regret everything I've done. I talked to you while you were in a coma, and I want to thank you for being an amazing mother. I don't know how to function without you, but I think I can get past it. Thalia will help me. And I know that whatever is up there, you're watching down on me. And I've failed you once, but I won't do it again. It just feels _empty._ Time doesn't heal scars, but at least it helps them fade. Still, for some reason-" Annabeth's voice cracked, and a tear fell onto the floor.

"For some reason," Annabeth repeated, "I don't think I can ever forget about what I've done. I haven't been good at making promises lately, but I will tell you that I'm going to try to do what's best for me. I don't think it's normal for wives to be afraid of their husband; and I'm sorry for any pain I've caused you and Dad. He didn't come today, Dad. I think he couldn't bear it. And I'm not going to talk about how I'm going to miss you for hours, but I will miss you. More than anything. You were the one that always had a plan, that knew what to do. I just wish I could have said goodbye to you properly, to see you again. I love you, mom." Annabeth whispered, and she didn't realize she was crying until she felt dampness on her cheeks.

Feeling as if she weren't capable of doing anything, Annabeth stood up, and looked at Thalia, who made eye contact with her.

Mouthing _let's go,_ Annabeth walked towards her best friend, and every step was like a stab to the heart.

Thalia gave her a small, sad, smile and held her hand out, and Annabeth took it, and shut her eyes tightly as she left, again, ignoring the people around her.

* * *

Percy's P.O.V:

Percy rolled his eyes as he leaned back, "That's stupid."

Poseidon raised his eyebrows, "Is it?"

Percy sighed, slightly irritated by his father's presence. "Look, I have no intention of working in your company, nor do I care about you. I don't get why you're pretending as though it _isn't_ your fault my mother's dead-"

"Why are you bringing Sally into this? Perseus, what do you expect you do for the rest of your life? You cannot sit around all day doing nothing-"

"I don't care what I'm doing!" Percy burst out. "I don't want anything to do with you, and you don't control my future. Don't try to act as though you know me, when you sure as hell don't."

"Perseus, you're 24, and you don't have a job. Who do you live with in New York?"

Percy muttered something under his breath, not wanting to answer Poseidon's question.

"What was that?"

"I live with Gabe." Percy said, feeling sweat trickle up his spine. He didn't understand why, considering he could easily lie to Poseidon and say Gabe was the perfect step-father. Yet, it had crossed his mind too many times to count on how he was 24 and didn't have a job. He'd thought about the fact that he still lived with Gabe, but always pushed it away.

Poseidon raised an eyebrow, "Who is Gabe?"

"My step-father," Percy replied, slightly enjoying the look of shock on Poseidon's face.

"Sally married somebody else?"

"Yeah," Percy nodded, adding a hint of hatred in his voice.

"Well," Poseidon sighed. "How is he?"

Percy debated on lying to his father, but figured it was really no use. "Abusive."

Poseidon's eyebrows raised even higher. "What do you mean?"

"Gabe used to hit my mom, from what I remember. He used to throw things at her and make her make food for him and do whatever he wanted for her-"

"Why didn't she ever divorce him?" There was slight anger in Poseidon's voice when he spoke.

"I don't know. I was ten when she died, I didn't understand anything." Percy responded, not sure why he was telling Poseidon this, since obviously he couldn't change anything.

"And you stayed with him? For so long?"

Percy snorted. "How much of a choice did I have?"

"Perseus, you could've _told_ someone. You could have told me," Poseidon said, and Percy laughed humorlessly.

"When? Because you've _always_ been in my life? Because you were always there for me?"

"I-"

"No, forget it. I don't care, and I don't get why I told you all this in the first place, since you wouldn't have done anything. I get that you're rich, and I don't care. I'm going to ask you to leave, and soon, I'll be leaving San Francisco, and you'll never see me again. I'm capable of controlling my life." Percy told his dad, abruptly stopping the conversation.

"Perseus, why do you always do this?"

"Maybe because just your presence pisses me off."

Poseidon shook his head, but nonetheless got up. He gave a look at Percy, before pulling something out of his pocket. "Here."

"I don't want it," Percy said, not knowing what it was.

Poseidon sighed, exasperated. He placed it on the table next to Percy, and then with one last glance at him, walked to the door.

Percy waited until he heard it close before he looked at the item, and found it was a business card, with Poseidon's number, and an address written on it.

Percy rolled his eyes at his father's desperation, and stuck the card back in his pocket, wishing he had a lighter to burn it.

* * *

Thalia's P.O.V:

Thalia breathed out as she looked up at the address she'd come to. The place was a large building, obviously old and abandoned. There were wooden boards across the windows, and she almost laughed at how similar it was to a horror movie.

"I don't think this is a good idea," Reyna, who'd insisted she come along, said.

Thalia stole a glance behind her, where Reyna was standing. "You can go back if you want, but I'm doing this for Annabeth."

"No," Reyna's voice showed determination. "I'll come with you."

"Well," Thalia said, instinctively putting her hand on the gun that was attached to her. "We need to find out how to get in first."

"I guess we do," Reyna said, and together, they walked closer to the place.

It was dark outside, about nine at night, yet Thalia could see the outline of the building, and her heart started to race.

But she was used to it. Thalia used the nerves to push her forward, thinking of them as fuel. When the door, it was obviously shut tight, and it would be impossible to open it.

She turned to Reyna. "I-"

Thalia was interrupted when a gunshot went off in the distance, and she looked at Reyna who had both of her eyebrows raised.

"That was unusual." Reyna stated, and Thalia chuckled, and her grip on her gun tightened.

"Well, get used to it."

Reyna nodded, "Ready?"

Thalia put her chin up, and her eyes sparked with determination. "As ready as I'll ever be."

 **A/N: You know, this chapter was unexpected, but I loved writing it. How do you guys think it is? Let me know :)**

 **But first of all, onto the reviews!**

 **iLoveThisFanfic: Hmm, sounds like a good idea ;)**

 **clo7615** **: Aww, thank you! I hope you like this chapter, too.**

 **unspoken-code: Thank you! I guess you'll have to wait and see what happens! :)**

 **BubbleEwa** **: Yes, I'm like, overwhelmed with all these kind and amazing reviews, and I'm so grateful for all of my readers (including you)! I get the idea that you don't like Luke? Well, I don't know how does, really. I guess eight months doesn't seem like a lot, but it really is, you know? I mean, she's 24, I didn't want to marry her at like 17 or something. Anyways, thank you so much! Bro, I love you. :)**

 **Nicky: Hi! I'm really glad you're enjoying my story. I hope you like this chapter as well. Thank you so much, love! :)**

 **Guest: Aw, thanks! My ankle is better. I hope you like this chapter!**

 **KHCMC36: Yeah, but I've got to treat my readers fairly, you know? :) Sanity is precious, but I have none anymore. I agree with you. This chapter is longer, so I hope you like it too! I'm glad you're feeling emotion towards this story, though. Even if you hate Luke to death. It makes me happy. Anyways, haha, man, you just gotta do what you gotta do! XD But my ankle is better. Thank you :) Oh, damn, that must suck. I feel bad for you, but I think your name's beautiful! :) I hope you liked this chapter!**

 **Shattered Owl: Haha, birthdays are important! Thank you! I hope you like this chapter too! (Laughing at my own jokes is this weird hobby I have XD)**

 **Somebody: Ah, man, I'm grinning so hard right now. This review means so much to me. You know that? Honestly, it means the world to me that you like it. All I've wanted when I joined fanfiction was to have people actually** _ **enjoy**_ **my stories, and it's this amazing feeling. Thank you! :)**

 **theartnerd333: Your reviews always leave me speechless. It means the absolute world that you think so, and I have no words to describe my feeling right now. Gosh, I'm so thankful for you. Thank you so much. *hugs* (Please excuse me for my lack of words because honestly I'm smiling so hard right now.)**

 **Keep Smiling: Haha. Nice! :) I like Percabeth too, but of course, there's Luke. :(**

 **CassylovesPercabeth: Hmm, I agree. Thank you so much! :)**

 **Green daypizza: (Green Day is life, man.) Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying this story! :)**

 **Abooknerdandproud** **: Aw, this is so nice! I missed your reviews. Thank you so much! You've left me speechless.**

 **LongLiveThorn: Thalia isn't dead! No worries (..yet)! It's Athena. Thalia's my favorite too. Thank you so much! :) I hope you like this chapter!**

 **Frazel: Haha, I don't think so. I feel you on Luke.**

 **cool: Thanks! But I don't think Thalia needs a man to be happy, you know?**

 **Awesome Story: R.I.P Athena. :(**

 **ryanloves percy and annabeth** **: Well, holy shit? Thank you so much, man. I'm sitting here with my mouth open and this review is just. Thank you! :) It means the** _ **world**_ **to me that you like my stories.**

 **Ninja Lordess** **: So are you! :D**

 **Guest: I've explained this countless times. In the books, Annabeth was strong and smart** _ **because**_ **of her past. It's not easy to leave an abusive relationship, it's actually pretty terrifying and it isn't that easy.**

 **Well, that's all of the reviews! I won't say too much this chapter, but you guys are absolutely amazing and you guys mean the world to me. Honestly, thank you guys. Stay safe. Keep smiling, xxx.**


	23. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

 **This chapter isn't edited, nor beta-read, so every mistake is mine. Anyways, I hope you enjoy!**

 **By the way, can you guys believe this is the 20th chapter? I can't. There's probably going to be just five or six more chapters, and then possibly an epilogue. :) Depends on you guys.**

Annabeth's P.O.V:

The images flashed through her mind like waves, her mother's look when Annabeth got into honors, at her 8th grade graduation, when she watched Annabeth walk down the aisle and other various mental images.

 _Home._

Percy.

When he kissed her, his green eyes, the mischievous and sarcastic grin that had her smirking, the way the left side of his mouth quirked up before his right when he gave her a grin, winking, the hot breath against her ear as he whispered, the deep rumble of his laugh.

 _Smiling. Laughing. Grinning. Giggling. Happiness. Unique. Different. Extraordinary. Spectacular. Beautiful._

Then, Luke.

His hands on her, hitting her, torturing her, mocking her, wearing her out, spitting on her, disrespecting her, lying, hiding things, cheating, laughing when she cried, the malice dancing in his eyes, his evil smirk, pushing her aside.

 _Hopeless. Pain. Breaking. Hurt. Crying. Frowning. Longing. Torture. Regret._

Annabeth could almost feel the flash, and suddenly, she was awake. Her eyes shot open, and she was met with complete darkness. Instinctively, Annabeth tried to sit up, but was pulled back.

She glanced at her hands, and saw that, through the dark, there on her wrists, where ropes were tied. She tried to get them off, but it only resulted in making them tighter.

Ropes were on her legs, too.

Panic shot through Annabeth, and a second later, lights turned on.

Momentarily, Annabeth was blinded, and after her eyes adjusted to the light. She looked around the room, her heart pounding, and found there was nothing in the room, it was exactly like the size of her bedroom back at home.

Or, whatever "home" was supposed to be.

She was in a platform, and in the clothes she had gone to sleep with.

 _Where was she?_

A chuckle came from the doorway, and Annabeth's eyes flicked towards where the sound had come from.

"Morning, Princess. I was thinking you wouldn't wake up." The voice was cold, bitter, and held nothing close to comfort.

And sadly, it was all too familiar.

Luke.

And when she saw what he held in his hand, a long knife, she couldn't help herself.

Annabeth screamed.

* * *

Thalia's P.O.V:

"I am slightly curious as to why whoever made this place wanted so many people to stay out of it," Reyna's voice came from next to Thalia.

Thalia let a small smirk dance on her lips as she looked at the place carefully, "I know."

She ran her hand along the side wall of it, feeling the rough and rugged wood against her palm. Though it seemed to be locked with no way of getting in, Thalia wondered why they would have put wood walls, since it would be easy to break in.

"You stay here," She told Reyna, the dead of the night causing anxiety to rocket through her veins.

Reyna nodded, kneeling down to touch the dirt as if it held some sort of long held memory.

Thalia bit her lip as she walked towards the other side, the feeling of the rough dirt against her combat boots slightly relaxing. For some odd reason, it reminded her of the days of when she was little, when she used to run through the fields of her old house once it was 5 o'clock

Quickly brushing the memory off, Thalia glanced at the other side of the wall, and saw that it had a door placed right in the center. It was obviously not sturdy, but had a lock that had Thalia's head spinning with possibilities.

She'd known how to open a lock with her eyes closed, ever since she was six years old. When her mother used to lock herself in the bathroom, saying that she would kill herself.

The sound of her boots against the floor had her nerves rise even more, and she slowly examined the lock. It was blue, and though it was night, she could see it, and the numbers plastered across it. She pulled at it, and it was, undoubtedly, expensive.

"Thalia!" Reyna's voice came from the other side.

Panic ran through Thalia, and before she could start towards where Reyna's voice was, Thalia saw the silhouette, and she felt the panic inside of her die down a little. "What?"

Reyna showed her a slip of paper she'd found, and Thalia scrunched her eyebrows, having a hard time reading it in the dark.

"It's a code," Reyna whispered, though there was no reason to.

Determination sparked inside of Thalia. "There's a lock over there," she told Reyna, pointing to the door.

Reyna's eyes widened, and Thalia felt as though it would be too easy if it _were_ the combination. But there was no harm in trying.

"You think it's it?" Reyna asked, in a hushed tone.

Thalia, too, felt like they should whisper, and suddenly, she had the strange sense that she was being watched. "Let's try it."

When they reached the door, Reyna knelt down and carefully placed in the code that was messily written in red pen. Or, at least Thalia hoped it was red ink.

The lock opened with a _click_ and this time, Thalia genuinely grinned. She brought her hand to the belt at her waist, wanting a sense of reassurance.

"Oh, this is _too easy_ ," Reyna said, as they walked, together, inside.

Thalia nodded, forcing a smile on her face, and trying to ignore a sinking feeling inside of her. "Yeah."

When they entered, they were greeted by complete darkness. Suddenly, a light flashed, and Thalia almost jumped.

She looked at Reyna, who was looking back at her, holding a flashlight. Relief flooded through her, and Thalia pulled out her own flashlight, the feeling of being watched still lingering.

When she clicked it open, the bright light moved around as she walked forward, gesturing to Reyna to stay still for a moment.

From what she could see, they were in a large room, with wooden walls. The floor creaked under her weight, and Thalia bit her lip, trying to put on less weight onto the wooden boards. She saw the room was completely empty other than her and Reyna, and absolutely nothing was inside.

There wasn't any door on the walls, and Thalia felt an eerie sensation, and she looked at Reyna, as if to make sure she was still there.

Suddenly, Thalia was on the ground, her foot having caught at something. She pulled herself up, her heart pounding, and knelt down, though her foot was aching. She came in contact with a black handle, and gripped it, looking up at Reyna, who'd practically ran to Thalia's side.

"What?" Reyna asked. "What is it?"

Thalia pulled the handle up, slightly confused on why there was a handle just in the middle of the room. It was lightweight, and she swung it open easily. Looking down, Thalia saw that there was obviously light in the room underneath her, though it was at the far end of a room.

She looked at Reyna, who then motioned a "be quiet" gesture, and lightly pulled Thalia back, indicating she backup.

"Who's going first?" Reyna questioned, in a hushed tone.

Thalia loved that about Reyna. She was fearless, determined and knew what she had to do. The only reason Thalia had brought her along. She didn't know if it was the best idea, but figured it was better to have two people.

There was no way she would have brought Annabeth, for Annabeth didn't even _know_ where Thalia was. But she was going to tell Annabeth anytime soon, unless it was important. Annabeth had enough stress on her shoulders because of Athena, she didn't need to know about this.

But what would be here? What was the reason that This address was even a thing?

Of course, she should have turned Luke in _months_ ago. And though she regretted a million things, that was what she regretted the most. Annabeth was and is her best friend, yet Thalia did absolutely nothing to help her. Until now.

And she promised herself that she wouldn't let Annabeth down this time.

"I'll go," Thalia answered Reyna, already pulling her feet up.

"No," Reyna's voice came through. "I'll do it."

"Reyna-"

But Reyna already pushed her aside, and in a split second, was pushing herself down, and Thalia waited for a moment, her heart thumping, before she heard the thud of Reyna's boots against the floor.

"Come down," Reyna's quiet voice came from the bottom, and Thalia heard her shifting.

Taking a deep breath, Thalia forced herself to fall, before she hit the ground, gracefully.

She took a moment to pace her breathing, before looking for Reyna. She could see a silhouette through the darkness in the room.

Then she looked to her right, and saw that there was a single speck of light now, nothing like the large glow of light she'd seen when she was up.

Thalia looked up, and saw that the entrance that they'd jumped through was wide open, and if anybody were to enter the door, it'd be easy to find them.

But then again, why _was_ it so easy? Going through a lever and coming in so easily? Why had they found the door so easily?'

And, most importantly, _what would they find here?_

A second later, lights flashed open. They were all over the ceiling, little lights, and Thalia was momentarily blinded.

When she regained focus, she saw that there was someone standing in the doorway.

Everything in the room was plain, and doorways led everywhere, and Thalia thought she could see a staircase if she looked towards the door on her left.

What _was_ this place?

As the figure walked towards them, Thalia saw that he was a man. He was a hooded figure, so Thalia couldn't see his face properly, and dressed in all black.

Thalia looked him straight in the eye, her grip on her gun tightening. "Who are you?"

The figure chuckled and pulled his hood down. Thalia came in contact with dark shaggy hair, and dark eyes.

Beside her, Reyna gasped.

"Ethan?"

 **A/N: And..that's it for chapter 20! I'm sorry if it's horribly written. And short. I've been busy lately and haven't had inspiration (though I'm grateful for those of my friends reading this right now that actually listen to me when I complain). Anyways, the reviews!**

 **AutumnLeaves03: Hmm..guess you'll have to see, huh? How was this chapter? I hope you liked it! :)**

 **Shattered Owl: Thanks! How was this chapter? (Since you finally got to read it, lol) I hope you liked it!**

 **BubbleEwa: You know, one day, I will learn how to master your amazingness and skill to make people smile. Thank you! I'm really glad you liked the last chapter, and hopefully this won't be horrible! Anyway, haha, I may as well let you pick out my chapter names. And, by the way, I'm not exactly sure where this story is going, either. I guess we'll have to see, yeah? Thanks for reading, I look forward to your review!**

 **theartnerd333: I try to make it full of suspense :D And, thank you! I've said it before and will gladly say it again, I don't know where my stories would be without you. So, thank you for meeting me. And liking my stories. It means the absolute** _ **world**_ **to me. How was this chapter? Let me know! :)**

 **Guest: Yes! Simple Plan is my life! I like "Welcome to my Life", too. It calms me down. I'm sorry to hear that you know how abuse feels, and I am willing to talk if you need it. Thank you! I am so happy you enjoy my story! :)**

 **CassylovesPercabeth: I'm sorry I'm a bad updater. I'm glad you liked the last chapter, though! Hope you like this, too!**

 **KHCMC36: What** _ **of course I'm jealous!**_ **But I'm also certain you'll do great! :) I mean, so this chapter isn't the best. I know that, so bear with me. Honestly I'm sure this made you hate Luke even more. It makes me excited! Oh, the life of a writer, huh? Calling myself a writer makes me happy. I don't know why. Anyways, I did have some Thalia and Reyna in this! I hope you liked the chapter! :)**

 **PrincessOfAtlantis101: Thanks! What part don't you get, exactly?**

 **IamCrystalClear: What's stopping you? ;)**

 **Keep Smiling: Aw, this is making me blush. It makes me incredibly happy that you stood up to them. You're amazing, you know that?**

 **Booknerds22202: Yeah, I'd been planning to kill Athena for a while. Percy and Annabeth will get together, since this is a percabeth fic. I hope you like this chapter, love!**

 **BookLuver4ever7: Hi! Yay! Thanks. :) I'm glad you like this story! Sure! I'll check your story out. :) thanks for reading!**

 **That's all of the reviews. I wasn't going to ask this, but how do you guys feel of getting TWSH to 400 reviews before it's over? I'd die if that happened. Anyway, thank you for reading! Stay safe. Keep smiling, xxx.**


	24. Chapter 21

**.Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

 **So, this chapter isn't edited either. Mistakes are mine. But anyway, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter!**

 **Oh, and for all of those readers reading my other story, "Broken",** _ **it is not discontinued.**_ **I'm just trying to get some loose ends of TWSH wrapped up, and once we reach the few final chapters, the updates of Broken is what I'll be focusing mainly on. It's stressing writing two stories at once, and I have two other drafts of completely different other stories (Solangelo and Percabeth), which I haven't posted yet because I can't handle four stories at once. Maybe I'll post one after I finish TWSH, considering you guys would actually want to read my writing. But enough of me rambling, onto the chapter!**

Annabeth P.O.V:

Annabeth stared at Luke, and in the knife in his hands. She couldn't even remember if she screamed or not, but all she knew was suddenly panic was coursing through her veins, and she was struggling against the bonds that held her in her place.

From the doorway, Luke chuckled. "What's wrong, Annie? Feeling a little trapped?"

Annabeth glared at him, "What the hell is this?"

Luke shrugged, innocently, coming closer to her. Annabeth couldn't help but notice how _easily_ he held the knife in his hands, as if he'd done in a thousand times before. Just the thought made her shudder, but she wouldn't have been surprised.

"You live a life of boredom," Luke told her, "I just thought I could making it more..interesting."

Annabeth gaped at him, "How?"

Again, Luke shrugged. Now he was at the edge of the platform, and if Annabeth reached out, she would be able to touch the knife he was holding.

"Why am I here? _What is this place?_ Why do you have a knife? Where did you take me? What-"

Luke laughed. He looked at her, his cold blue eyes meeting Annabeth's grey ones. "Stop asking questions, Annie. Or I'll have to make you."

"What do you plan on doing with that knife?"

"I'll let that be a surprise," Luke said.

Annabeth squeezed her eyes shut, and she felt like drowning herself in the darkness that overwhelmed her. She pretended like when she opened them, she'd still be in her bedroom, perfectly safe, and not about to possibly get murdered.

Although, when she opened them, that was obviously not the case. Luke was still standing above her, an eyebrow raised.

Slowly, he laid the knife on her arm, and Annabeth shivered. Goosebumps appeared on her skin, and she felt the cold razor of it slide slowly against her arm. The lights were dimmed, and she tried to focus on the outside of the room that they were in, wondering where she was. She tried not to focus on the razor blade, or how she was feeling like there was absolutely nothing she could do to get herself out of this.

But she couldn't help herself.

"Luke," she begged. "Please, don't hurt me."

He grinned, a wolfish grin that made her heart pound in fear. She felt more of the blade's pressure against her arm, and knew it was no use. He wouldn't care if he killed her.

She forced her eyes to meet his, and put on a mask of determination. "Luke, let me go or I _swear_ , I will scream as loud as I can, and call the police."

Somehow, her voice came out steadier than the beat of her heart.

He laughed, and for a moment Annabeth thought it was fake. Then, she realized he actually found what she said funny.

When he did stop laughing, though, a smirk was still plastered across his face. "Go ahead. Scream all you want. There's nobody here that'll hear you, or care."

Annabeth shivered. She felt terrified, not knowing what anybody would want from her. Was he really going to kill her? After having been married to her for almost a year?

Her mind wandered to Percy, and even though she'd never want him to get involved in this -whatever it was-, she wished that he was here. She thought about Thalia, and knew that if she'd know, Luke would be arrested in an instant.

 _Stop relying on other people to help you,_ she thought, _or you'll end up falling into whatever Luke wants you to do._

She knew that whatever Luke wanted, he'd do anything to get it. And this time, she had to use her own brain to get herself out of it.

"Well," she said, "if you want to kill me, then why haven't you? You've already ruined my life enough."

 _Lies._

The smirk on his face grew wider. "Oh, Annie, I'm not sure you understand."

She waited for him to continue. He didn't.

"Understand what?"

"Why you're here," he replied.

"No," Annabeth said. "I don't."

Her stomach growled, and she realized that she hadn't eaten since last night, and all she'd had then was an apple.

 _But at least she was at home._

Luke started to unbutton his shirt. Annabeth's eyes widened, and she tried again, knowing it was no use, to untie the ropes.

Luke, seeing her terrified expression, grinned and shook his head. _"_ Don't worry, Annie. I won't do _that._ I'm not attracted to you, in any way. You aren't worth that."

"And what are you worth?" Annabeth spat, but instantly regretted it.

An insane look came over Luke, and he dug the blade of the knife into her arm, drawing blood.

Annabeth bit back a scream. The feeling was as though needles were digging into her skin, and she dug her nails into her palm.

"What did you say, Annie?"

She bit her lip, harshly. "Nothing."

He smirked.

" _I thought so_."

She felt like taking the knife and slamming it into his chest repeatedly, making him regret whatever he wanted to do her.

To make him feel the pain that she'd been feeling for the last 8 months.

Annabeth tried to ignore the urge, and instead she focused on the ground.

 _Wooden, with lines across the surface._ She tried to think of how the architecture would have been designed, would they have put rectangles or squares if it hadn't been shaped like that?

Luke, noticing that, forced her chin up, and his eyes made contact with hers.

She noticed a ring on his finger, and wondered why she hadn't seen it before. It glinted in the dimness of the room.

 _Did Rachel give it to him?_

But she didn't have time to think of more possibilities. Luke slapped her, the stinging sensation this time eliciting a gasp from her.

Strangely enough, she'd gotten used to it.

"I'll be leaving now," Luke said. "See you tomorrow."

"Luke-"

"Shut up,"

Annabeth sighed.

 _Marriages don't work like this._

With a wink, Luke walked out, switching the lights off as he did, his footsteps echoing as he walked away, confidence practically seeping out

And with that, Annabeth was left alone, her mind spinning.

 _What was she supposed to do?_

* * *

When Annabeth woke up, she vaguely remembered where she was. Before she came into focus, she saw that it was still dark in the room, and her arms were sore.

But when she tried to move them, they tightened against her wrists, and with a quiet gasp, Annabeth remembered where she was.

 _Oh, right._

She suddenly felt a burning sensation inside of her stomach, and shut her eyes tightly as it did flips. She was starving, and hadn't eaten for how long-?

It wasn't like she could check.

Faintly, she could hear voices from outside the door, and Annabeth tried to listen it.

"Gave her the pills-?" An unrecognizable, feminine voice came from the other side.

"No, I'd rather not."

Luke's voice.

"Baby, we can't do that. Give her them, you'll just hurt her more." The voice replied.

Annabeth heard Luke snort. "I don't care."

"Come on," the feminine voice purred, "for me?"

"Honestly, Rachel, why do you care so much?"

So it was Rachel.

Panic shot through Annabeth. _Why was Rachel here?_

"I don't care," Rachel replied, her voice slightly higher.

"Then stop caring and let me kill her." Luke's voice responded.

Shudders ran through Annabeth like wildfire, and her heart pounded.

Silence.

Then, "You know what, Luke? I can't believe you'd kill her."

"I've killed people before, babe. It isn't a big deal."

A gasp. " _What?"_

"I-I mean that-"

It was strange to hear Luke stutter, because he'd never done it in front of Annabeth. She wanted to hear what he would say, and felt the same disbelief that Rachel probably felt.

"Luke, you've _killed_ people before?" Rachel's voice was incredulous.

"No, I haven't."

Annabeth bit her lip, and shut her eyes tightly, trying to forget what she'd just heard.

But then Rachel talked again.

"Luke, I thought-I thought-"

" _Rachel,_ forget it."

A moment of silence. "Fine. But I swear, Luke-"

He interrupted her. "I love you too, baby."

* * *

Percy's P.O.V:

"Are you serious?" Percy asked.

"Yeah," Nico replied. "He _still_ wants me to marry Thalia."

"But that doesn't make sense," Percy told his best friend. "Why?"

Nico shrugged. "Honestly, I have no idea."

Percy raised an eyebrow at him. "And Will?"

Nico sighed. "Will doesn't know. He isn't _supposed_ to know."

"Why not? He can help you."

"No," Nico shook his head. "He can't help me if Hades is still in denial that I have a boyfriend."

"But why should you care?"

Again, Nico shrugged, exasperated. " _I don't._ But if he's planning all this, then what I supposed to do?"

"Not do it?" Percy questioned.

Nico glared at his best friend. "Oh, thanks for your help."

Percy held his hands up. "Okay, okay. I was just trying to help."

"Well, you didn't. I don't know,Perce. I just hate my dad."

"I can see why," muttered Percy.

"Anyways, how's that Annabeth girl doing?"

Percy frowned. Annabeth and him hadn't talked in almost a week, and he had just thought she was busy.

But for some reason, it didn't seem likely.

Shrugging, Percy replied, "We haven't talked."

Nico gaped at him. "But you were just making out a week ago-"

Percy blushed. "We weren't making out!"

Nico raised an eyebrow. " _Right."_

 _"_ I'm serious."

"So you two aren't dating?"

Sheepishly, Percy shrugged. "Not entirely sure."

Nico's eyebrow arched even further. "Well, do you _want_ to be with her?"

"What happens when we go back to New York? Am I supposed to leave her?"

"You could take her with you," Nico suggested. "If you guys are really into each other that much."

"Yeah," Percy breathed. He thought about Annabeth, and her curls and mysterious eyes. "I guess we'll have to see, won't we?"

* * *

That night, Percy lay awake in his bed, thinking.

He'd admit it, Annabeth was on the back of his mind and had been for the past hour.

When she'd kissed him, she'd left Percy's lips tingling for hours. He wished she was here right now, and that he could hear her comforting laugh. See her smile.

When Percy tried to call her, she didn't answer. He called again. And again. And again.

Soon enough, those _agains_ had turned into 43 missed calls. That she didn't answer.

He was starting to get worried, and he felt the sinking feeling in his stomach.

The feeling was familiar. It was like when he was at school and just _knew_ that Gabe would hit him afterwards, and he couldn't do anything to help himself.

Percy sighed. He hadn't thought about Gabe in days. He'd wondered what had happened to him, and if he ever found the note Percy had left him.

But, for some reason, he didn't care.

Thinking of Gabe made him think of Sally. Percy still felt his heart wrench and a feeling of sadness overwhelmed him when he thought of his mother.

It had been such a long time, but the loneliness he felt hadn't gone away.

It was though Percy was trying to grasp for air when he thought about Sally. Nothing could ever replace the warmth in her smile and the way her eyes shined.

 _What would she think of me right now?_ Percy thought.

Just the thought had made him shiver.

He sighed, and put his phone on the dresser.

Closing his eyes, Percy let the darkness overtake him, Annabeth's gray eyes still burning at the back of his mind.

 **A/N: So, there's chapter 21! How did I do? Feedback? Suggestions? Ideas? I'd absolutely love to hear them in a review. I feel motivated to update TWSH, and I am getting to Broken.**

 **And, this time of year is always usually busy, so I may not update for a month or two. I can't guarantee anything but the fact that I'll try my best.**

 **Anyways, onto the reviews!**

 **Narwhal King** **: Thank you so much! And I find narwhals interesting for some reason, not gonna lie.**

 **Frazel: Thank you! I was kind of going for a cliffy for the last chapter. I hope you like this chapter as well!**

 **theartnerd333** **: Thank you! Nope, we shouldn't have a limit of how much we compliment each other. You deserve as many compliments as I can possibly give. And even more. Also, I hope you liked this chapter too! :)**

 **shattered owl: Haha, thanks. (I'm sorry I am still not over George..RIP.)**

 **clo7615** **: Thank you! :D I'm so glad to hear that you like it.**

 **EllieDaughterOfApollo** **: Thank you! And, well, aren't they down there right now?**

 **AutumnLeaves03** **: Hm..nice idea. I'll have to look into that ;) Anyways, thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed this! I hope you like this chapter too.**

 **LongLiveThorn: Guess you'll have to see ;) (Thanks for the idea. *grins*)**

 **BubbleEwa** **: You're right. What** _ **is**_ **up with Reyna and Ethan? Huh. And, to answer your question, Luke took her there while she wasn't conscious (I may explain that later in the other chapters), and you'll have to see why he's doing it now, yeah? Thank you! You make me blush so bad, like really, man. Stop being so nice to me.**

 **PrincessOfAtlantis101** **: Yes, yes I did ;)**

 **IamCrystalClear** **: Cliffies are my best friends. I did update sooner than usual, so I hope you like this chapter!**

 **CassylovesPercabeth** **: I hate Luke, too. Thank you! I hope you like this chapter too!**

 **KHCMC36** **: I feel you. I liked summer better. And, yeah, I am with you on the hatred of Luke. You're right; nothing can even come close to the badassery of Thalia and Reyna (** _ **badassery**_ **is such a weird word). And, well, I just don't want to let you guys down, or feel like I don't put effort into this story. And when you say things like this, man, it makes me blush and be so grateful to have readers like you. I hope you liked this chapter! :)**

 **Misha-n-Avengers: This is so sweet, thank you so much! Of course I'll be continuing. Let me know what you think of this chapter :)**

 **Booknerds22202** **: Ethan Nakumara is the son of Nemesis, and he was killed in the Last Olympian (can't remember exactly why), but he was on Kronos's side. And, thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed this. :)**

 **tduong1938** **: *winks***

 **And that's it for the reviews! Which, are, like, 354? Thank you guys so much. I'm so grateful right now, you guys are the best. Keep smiling, xxx.**


	25. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

 **A/N: Thank you to BubbleEwa for helping me with this! You're amazing.**

Reyna's P.O.V:

The dark had never scared Reyna.

Even when she was just ten years old, and the lights flickered on and off while it was night. To her, darkness was nothing to be afraid of.

She even remembered this particular night where her father had gotten too drunk, when her fear of the dark had vanished.

" _Reyna," her father growled. "I will kill you, I swear it."_

" _No," Hylla, her sister, said. "You won't hurt her. You're too drunk, go back to sleep, Reyna and I can handle it."_

 _Her father had laughed, then. Reyna wouldn't ever forget the furious glint shining in his eyes as he eyed them. Like prey. "Don't act like you're older than you are, girl."_

 _Hylla snorted and rolled her eyes._

 _That had set something off in her father's mind, and he shouted and grabbed the nearest item he could find._

 _It was a picture of Reyna, Hylla, and their mother. Before things had changed._

 _Aiming it at them, he threw it, and it hit Hylla, the glass shattering into her skin._

 _Still, Reyna's older sister had not cried out. She'd simply stared at her wound in shock, and remained calm._

 _Their father had ripped the cord that provided them with electricity, and switched it off. Thee entire house went black._

 _Storming out of the house, he'd left them in the dark, Hylla bleeding out, and Reyna crying._

 _They were barely pre-teens, then._

 _He never came back._

But when she looked into Ethan's eyes, the darkness made shivers crawl up her spine. Nothing had changed about him.

Except for everything.

For at least two minutes, they just stared at each other, until Thalia finally sighed.

"Okay, what's going on here?" Thalia had asked, watching the two of them intently.

"Nothing," Reyna replied.

But it was something. Something that Reyna wished she'd never have to remember.

Yet, here she was, walking alongside the person that had torn her heart into millions of unfixable pieces.

Somehow, she felt safer, since Thalia was right next to her.

"Look," Thalia warned, as they continued walking, "you're unarmed, and if you do or say something that's suspicious, my gun will meet your face. Understand?"

Ethan nodded. "I won't hurt you."

Thalia scowled, "Then who will?"

"Nobody."

"So, then," Thalia said, "where the hell are we going?"

"Ethan," Reyna said, softly, "where did you come from?"

He offered her a sideways glance. "I can ask you the same thing, Reyna."

Reyna was fully aware of the fact that Thalia didn't trust Ethan. She was just wondering where he would leave them, but something, to her, didn't feel right.

They were walking in full darkness, around the warehouse, the footsteps echoing throughout the whole room.

Or, hallway. Reyna couldn't decide where they were.

Suddenly, Ethan abruptly stopped, and put his hand out. It rested against a door, which he quietly opened with another hand.

"Come inside," he told them.

Thalia crossed her arms, "I'm not going in there."

"Why?"

Glaring at him, Thalia responded, "I don't trust you."

A gunshot.

"You're going to have to."

"Why?" This time Thalia asked.

Ethan shook his head, and switched the light on in the room. He gestured around the completely deserted room. "Do you see anything here?"

"I see a door." Thalia stated. "I see a lock."

"You have a gun," Ethan pointed out. "Not me."

Shrugging, Thalia huffed. "I'm standing in the doorway."

"Fine."

They entered the room, Thalia bracing herself against the doorway.

Reyna stood near her, an eyebrow arched.

"Okay," he breathed. "Annabeth's in here. That's why you're here, isn't it?"

Thalia's mouth was open. "Where is she?"

Ethan shrugged, helplessly. "I don't know. He's with his wife, or fiancée somewhere here."

"What will he do to her?"

Wincing, Ethan replied, "He wants to sell her."

Thalia almost doubled over. When she looked up at him, her eyes were glazed over with darkness and anger. "To _who_?"

"A man."

"What's his name?"

Ethan cast a glance at Reyna before responding.

" _Octavian_. His name's Octavian."

* * *

Annabeth's P.O.V:

The next time Annabeth woke up, she almost yelled.

The first thing she noticed was the fact that her hands were still tied, and she couldn't feel them anymore.

Her legs, however, were free, and she wriggled them around, wincing at the pain. How long had they been tied? Who untied them?

She almost cried out in pain as she crossed her legs, all her muscles feeling as though flames had enveloped them.

Since when had they been that tight?

The next thing that Annabeth noticed was the fact that there was a presence sitting next to her, breathing softly.

"Annabeth?"

Annabeth recognized that voice. It was the same voice she'd been hearing about for months.

 _Rachel_.

Annabeth looked up at her, the dim light coming from a doorway illuminating the fire truck red hair that was let down. She was sitting naturally on a chair. Just the sight of her made Annabeth grit her teeth. "Why are you here?"

"I need to tell you something,"

"Rachel," Annabeth said, her nerves crackling. "I'd like you to leave."

Rachel had her eyebrows raised. "Seriously? You're near death and still you want to be as far away from me as possible?"

The glare that Annabeth shot Rachel answered her question.

"I hate you," Annabeth said. "You ruined my life."

Rachel held her hands up. "No, I didn't. Luke did."

Scowling, Annabeth replied, "You wouldn't care. You're happily marrying him."

"No," Rachel admitted. "I'm not."

Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "So then why are you here?"

Rachel raised a glinting item in the air, twirling it in her fingers, which also held a ring.

"I have the key to unlock you," Rachel said.

"How?"

"Luke gave it to me," Rachel told her. "To make sure nobody stole."

"And you're here telling me this because..?"

Rachel rolled her eyes, as if it were the stupidest question she'd ever heard. "To get you out of these."

Annabeth stared at her, "Why?"

"I don't know much about you, Annabeth," Rachel looked at her. "But I know you aren't anything like what Luke describes you as. You're obviously something amazing, and you don't deserve to live with Luke."

"Nor do you," Annabeth couldn't restrain herself from saying those three words.

"You know," Rachel said, getting up and unlocking the handcuffs before continuing, "I don't think we are all that different."

Once her hands were free, Annabeth got up from the platform she had been trapped in, and stretched. All her muscles protested, and she groaned softly as she stretched her back.

"I'll have to put you back in both the leg locks and handcuffs," Rachel told her, almost sadly. "Before Luke comes back."

"Okay," Annabeth said. "Where's Luke?"

"He's out with some person named Octavian. Refuses to tell me who he is, but I don't think Luke is the only enemy here."

"You're on my side now?"

Rachel sighed, crossing her legs as she sat back down on the chair, just as Annabeth sat down on the platform. "I've always been on your side, Annabeth. Trust me."

"You're the one that unlocked

my legs?" Annabeth continued asking question after question, rubbing her arms together.

"Yes," Rachel answered. Suddenly, she stood up. "Hey, I'll be back in a second. I'll go get you some mints and water, along with some fruits. You haven't ate."

All Annabeth could do was nod, realizing that Rachel was right.

As Rachel was walking out, she turned back to Annabeth. "Don't leave this room."

"I won't," Annabeth promised.

She didn't know why she trusted Rachel, for all Annabeth knew she could just be trying to fool Annabeth. But, for some reason, she believed if that were true, Rachel would care so much.  
All Annabeth could do was nod, realizing that Rachel was right.

As Rachel was walking out, she turned back to Annabeth. "Don't leave this room."

"I won't," Annabeth promised.

She didn't know why she trusted Rachel, for all Annabeth knew she could just be trying to fool Annabeth. But, for some reason, she believed if that were true, Rachel wouldn't care so much.

Yet Annabeth kept her guard up.

When Rachel returned, she placed the tray that she had been holding onto the platform next to Annabeth, and sat back down onto the chair.

Glancing at the tray, Annabeth saw that it was neatly organized, with a glass of water, an apple, and perfectly sliced oranges on the side.

"Thanks,"

"It was no problem," Rachel said. "Just be sure to eat it before Luke comes back."

"When is he coming back?"

Rachel shrugged. "Probably a couple hours from now. I don't think he gets any sleep. Then again, he never seemed normal to me."

With different circumstances, Annabeth might have even laughed. This time, she just nodded grimly. "Is there anyway I can get out of here?"

"Well," Rachel said, "I think I have a plan."

"What is it?"

Shaking her head, Rachel replied, "It's risky."

"I am up for it," Annabeth said.

"Okay," Rachel told her, leaning towards her, hands crossed. "Here's the plan.."

* * *

Poseidon's P.O.V:

(4 hours later)

"Hades, you understand that this will not work, right?"

"You can't know that," Hades responded. "Octavian claims to be smart, but is the complete opposite."

Poseidon looked up at Hades, "Barging in will make everything better? What about the other boy, Luke?"

Hades laughed. "He's barely an adult, Poseidon. What makes you believe he's all so powerful?"

"If he has business with Octavian-"

"Who isn't all that great, either." Hades interrupted. "Poseidon, we've experienced this before. I came from New York to fix this, and if you aren't going to-"

"Having experience isn't something to be proud of," Poseidon said, softly. "But if you insist that this will, by some miracle work, fine."

"Good," Hades said, standing up. "It's about time we agreed on something."

* * *

Percy's P.O.V:

Percy couldn't believe he was doing this.

It was well into the morning, yet here he was, standing in front of an abandoned warehouse.

Or, at least, it seemed like that.

He'd given up on all hopes of sleeping, and Poseidon had told him to "visit whenever".

So, visiting at 5 in the morning was logical.

This was where Poseidon's business card had led him, and he didn't know how to react. Did his father actually work here? What was his job?

The wind blew around him, and he considered going back, realizing how much of a bad idea this was.

Somehow, something made him not leave.

He stepped up against a door, and twisted the knob, shivers running through him.

The door easily clicked open, creaking as it opened. Percy held his breath.

What he saw, then, was worst than anything he'd ever seen in his entire life.

 **A/N: Okay, I'm sorry that this is short, and long awaited for. Obviously, the next chapter will be better, but this is kind of a filler chapter. I bet you guys have a different perception of Rachel and Ethan now. Anyway, onto the reviews.**

 **KHCMC36: I hate Luke, too. Like, really, even though I choose to write about him, I despise him. I understand your pain. Your reviews make me just as happy as this story makes you, believe me. Thank you so much! Your reviews leave me speechless.**

 **BubbleEwa: This review makes me laugh and smile. I love the fact that you're getting so worked up over this. I look forward to your review for this chapter, too! Thank you so much!**

 **unspoken-code: I bet you I'm the one getting emotional. Thank you! I hope you liked this chapter! :)**

 **Guest (shattered owl): You killed him. RIP George. And, by the way, I have no idea what I'm doing. But I'm doing something, alright. Something..**

 **aniarenee: Thanks! I'm glad you like it!**

 **hiimkassandra: So am I! :D**

 **theartnerd333: Christine..I've blushed about 40 times just reading this. You're honestly too sweet. I love your reviews so much. And you. Thank you!**

 **PrincessOfAtlantis101: Thank you! Making you cry is an accomplishment ;)**

 **IamCrystalClear: Thanks! You'll have to see ;)**

 **Wisegirl369: I agree.**

 **clo7615: Thank you so much! :)**

 **Greekly Chic Chick: Thank you! I'm so glad you think so :)**

 **.just. : Thanks! I appreciate it. I agree with you on those interpretations, and hopefully, Rachel isn't as OOC. I really look forward to your next review! :)**

 **Guest: Yes, they're in the same building!**

 **CassylovesPercabeth: Thanks! I hate Luke too. I hope you liked this chapter :)**

 **Guest: Thanks! I will! :)**

 **AutumnLeaves03: Thank you! Yeah, Rachel's in the dark here. I hope you liked this chapter! :)**

 **Frazel: I'm not sure. If you have a suggestion on how to add Frazel, let me know.**

 **Athena's Prideful Daughter: Sorry for the wait. :)**

 **As clever as Annabeth2001: Here it is :)**

 **ryanloves percy and annabeth: I totally understand! Thank you so much. I love you too! I hope you liked this chapter :)**

 **BookLuver4ever7: Thanks! Let me know what you think of this chapter :)**

 **And that's it for the reviews! Thank you to all of those who reviewed! And all those that read this, I love you guys too. Keep smiling, xxx.**

 **P.S. Have a happy Thanksgiving! I'm thankful to have such amazing readers. :) Stay safe.**


	26. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

 **A/N: Special thanks to both ShatteredOwl and BubbleEwa for inspiring this chapter! You guys are awesome.**

 **Shoutout to JustOneMorePage because they're absolutely amazing and I love her!**

 **This chapter is dedicated to Twinsarekeepers because it's their birthday today! :D**

Annabeth's P.O.V:

Annabeth was pretty sure her heart would pop out of her chest at the rate that it was beating at.

Her eyes were shut tight, and she tried to calm down her rapid breaths.

Outside the room she was in, Annabeth could hear faint voices, one feminine and the other masculine.

 _Calm down,_ she told herself, as if she weren't just going to murder anybody. _It'll be okay._

But she knew she wouldn't be. After today, her life would be completely different.

Either her plan with Rachel would, by some miracle, end up working, or she'd have to be sold to some man named Octavian.

Rachel had acquired information from Luke, by bribing him with whatever he'd asked for. By the look on Rachel's face once she returned, Annabeth made an inference onto what it was.

With a shaky voice, she'd explained that Luke was giving her to Octavian because of a debt that he had to pay, years ago. When Luke was a teenager, and Octavian, who was ten years older than him, provided him with all the drugs he wished for.

Just the thought made Annabeth sick with hatred and disgust. She always knew there was a secret onto _why_ Luke married her, but would have never guessed that she'd be sold to pay for a debt.

All throughout the night, or what was left of it, Rachel and Annabeth sat together, adding to their plan and making sure that things were perfect. Then, finally, with not a single noticeable flaw in their plan, Rachel locked Annabeth up and wished her the best of luck.

The plan was worth the risk, and the worse that could happen was Annabeth would end up dead.

Which, Annabeth thought, was a reminder that she'd at least tried.

Now, she lay, awaiting her future.

The door clicked open, and Annabeth forced herself to keep her eyes closed. She stilled, her breathing painfully even.

"Hmm," a deep and unfamiliar voice observed, with loud footsteps as they neared Annabeth. "She's gorgeous."

"Octavian," This time it was Luke's voice, as, he too, walked toward Annabeth. "This will pay the debt, right?"

Octavian, Annabeth guessed, chuckled. "Absolutely."

His hand came out to touch Annabeth's hair. Octavian's skin was rough and callused, and she had to bit her lip to restrain herself from slapping his hand away.

"Good," Luke responded. "Do whatever with her. Abuse her, hit her, hell, even _kill_ her. I don't care."

Annabeth gasped.

They'd heard her. Slowly, Luke opened her eyelids, and Annabeth sat up, heart racing.

"Well," Octavian said, "the bitch wasn't sleeping, after all."

Octavian looked even worse than Luke. He looked older, too, which, for a fact, he was. His hair fell unattractively onto his pale face, the color of overcooked spaghetti. His eyes were pale blue, bloodshot and evil.

Annabeth shivered.

Luke watched her, amusement glittering in his eyes. "Guess so."

"Sit up," Octavian commanded, and Annabeth, knowing it was better to follow it, did so.

The chains against her foot and arms felt tighter than ever. Annabeth missed the feeling of having chain-free arms, and realized just how disgusting that sounded.

She didn't deserve this.

"Are you ready, Annie?" Luke asked, his signature smirk appearing once again.

Annabeth felt like spitting on his face.

When she didn't answer, Octavian grabbed her mouth, and smashed it against his. Annabeth cried out, disgust and nausea rising in her stomach as he continued.

His breath smelled of cigarettes and alcohol, and his lips were dry. Annabeth could feel his smirk against her lips as she struggled to pull away, the chains tightening and she cried out.

Once he pulled away, both of them chuckled. Annabeth glared at Luke, feeling bile rise at her throat.

"You're a bastard," she said, to nobody, particular, because the words could be applied to both men in the room.

Or, whatever they were.

"Now, honey," Luke said. "Let's not be so rude, shall we?"

"Go fuck yourself," Annabeth spat.

Luke raised his eyebrows, just as Octavian chuckled. "She's something, alright."

"I know-"

The door burst open, and Rachel cleared her throat, walking in. She walked with confidence, a bright determination in her eyes that only Annabeth must have noticed.

She held a glass of water, or what seemed like water to Luke and Octavian, and a smile danced at her lips.

Octavian greeted her with a handshake, a pleasant smile forming on his lips. "Hello, Mrs. Castellan."

Annabeth fought the urge to scream.

Rachel smiled back at him. "Hello."

"Rachel, what's with the water?" Luke asked, pulling her close, and kissing her cheek.

Annabeth observed Rachel grimace for a moment. Had she always done that? Maybe Annabeth should have paid more attention to her rather than just her relationship with Like.

"I thought you'd want to drink it," Rachel said, in her sweet voice. "You've had such a long day, dealing with Annabeth and all." She added a roll of her eyes while looking at Annabeth, making Luke sigh.

"You're right, baby," Luke grabbed her hands. "Why don't you drink it first, though?"

Rachel sucked in a breath, stealing a glance at Annabeth. "Why?"

"Because," Luke insisted. "You're probably tired, too." _I don't trust you._

Annabeth watched her, motioning to the best of her ability not to. In that drink held poison, which would end up killing Luke if ingested.

Although, it would take an hour, which was the time when Annabeth was supposed to be taken away.

"I-" Rachel started to speak, but before she could continue, Luke pushed the glass to her lips.

"Baby, come on,"

Rachel gave Annabeth a sideways glance, worry lines appearing at her forehead. How, after spending so much time working through the plan, had they not seen this as a possibility?

Annabeth watched Rachel smile at her with a pained expression. "Fine."

Rachel drank it.

Thalia's P.O.V:

(An hour later..)

Thalia ran through the warehouse with no idea where she was going.

She hasn't slept in hours, but that didn't stop her from searching every possible door she could find for her best friend.

Even though it probably wasn't the best idea.

The lights of every room and hall were on, and Thalia had no way of knowing what time it was. The warehouse was complete wood, except for the outer walls. The floorboards creaked and the hallways were small and narrow, but she ran as fast as she could.

Ethan said they'd plan to kill Annabeth within an hour and she knew instantly that _there was no fucking way she'd let that happen._

Thalia shook her head in fury as she checked another empty room, and wondered what exactly happened in those rooms and what their purpose was.

She opened another door, running off to another direction to come across another. Thalia was completely alone, having left Reyna and Ethan.

Opening a door, Reyna prepared herself to just the away from the empty room, but this time, it was occupied.

And Luke was standing within 15 feet of her, across from Annabeth.

 _Who was tied to a platform and chained._

A woman sat near them, along with some other man Thalia didn't recognize.

But she didn't care. Setting her jaw, Thalia walked slowly towards Luke, who's back was turned to her.

He slapped Annabeth, as her best friend shut her eyes tightly, increasing Thalia's anger.

Once she was directly behind him, Thalia set Luke into a headlock. Twisting his arm, she heard a satisfactory surprised cry escape his lips.

Throwing him against the nearest wall, Thalia kept his arm twisted. She met eyes with his blue ones, the ones that used to make her smile and laugh, so many years ago.

Now, all she wanted to do was make him feel the worst possible agony.

"You," Thalia growled, adding more pressure to his arm and hearing a bone cracking, "are a _bastard_ , and I swear to you, I will make you _pay._ "

Luke watched her, and for a moment, Thalia saw fear in his eyes. Actual fear.

When she twisted his arm just a fraction more, he cried out in pain, knees buckling.

Thalia laughed.

"You make yourself seem all that smart," she commented. "All you are is a piece of shit that isn't worth anything."

With that, Thalia kicked him where it hurt, and he fell to the ground, clutching his groin.

Suddenly, a strong pair of arms grabbed Thalia's shoulders, and she was thrown backward, her back hitting the floor with a _thump_.

Looking up, Thalia saw the same man who'd been conversing with the redhead from before, staring at her with a gun pointed at her head, kneeling above her.

"One. Move. And. I. Will. Shoot." He threatened, making a show of reloading the gun and staring down at her with bloodshot eyes.

Thalia chuckled, and then laughed. She started laughing hysterically, clutching her stomach. "Fine. Shoot. _I dare you._ "

Annabeth's muffled scream came from the other side of the room, but the sound was immediately drowned out by another sound, one Thalia was too used to.

A gunshot.

Poseidon's P.O.V:

When Poseidon aimed the gun from the doorway at Octavian, he knew he had one shot.

Quite literally.

If he missed by one simple inch, he would hit the woman in the platform, or hit anywhere else and end up hitting someone else.

And when he did it, the split second of time between the bullet and its target had him holding his breath.

It did, however, hit its target, making Octavian jerk back, as the bullet strike his shoulder, and resulting in the woman that he'd been kneeling over to stand up.

She looked over at Poseidon as he walked in with Percy, jaw dropping as she saw the latter.

Hades was right behind them, but he seemed focused on the redhead, walking straight towards her.

Poseidon glanced around. Luke was slumped against the wall, breathing heavily. Nothing harmful, considering he was unarmed.

The woman on the platform was trying to stand up as Percy neared her, and as he put something, a key into the lock, Poseidon assumed.

With a click, the woman was let free, and the first thing she did was wrap her arms around Percy.

They kissed.

Percy's P.O.V:

Percy could've kissed Annabeth forever.

He really wished he could-but the others had other ideas.

The red haired woman had tossed him the key as he rushed to Annabeth, and she had tears in her eyes as she saw the two.

However, Percy and Annabeth had to pull away as Rachel let out a pained cry, and crumpled to the ground, clutching her heart.

Annabeth jumped up, practically running to Rachel's side. She whispered something to her, and pulled her up.

Gesturing to who Percy remembered as Thalia to come to her side, she talked softly to her as she explained what happened.

Percy didn't know what _did_ happen.

Less than a minute later, two other people, a woman with dark hair and a man with dark eyes barged into the room, taking in the scene.

"Thalia!" The woman cried out, joining the scene with the redhead, Annabeth, and Thalia.

The man stood there, obviously unsure of what to do.

Poseidon and Hades were attending Octavian, dialing 9-1-1, taking care of his wound.

Luke, however, was left unattended, and as he tried to stand up, his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he fell back, hitting the wall in the process.

"Ethan!" He gasped, reaching a hand out. "Kill them, please!"

Raising an eyebrow, Ethan walked over to Luke, stopping just within a foot of him.

"No."

"Please," Luke begged.

Ethan chuckled, grabbing at his gun. "See you in hell, Luke."

Even in his condition, Luke choked out, "You're a traitor."

He never spoke again.

 **A/N: *grins* I have been waiting for this chapter. What did you guys think? Let me know. Onto the reviews!**

 **MajorCartooniac: Thank you so much! The gunshot came from another part of the warehouse ;) and oops, I'll get to that. Sorry for the mistake. I'm glad you're liking Rachel, now. Maybe you're right with the inference, but I guess you'll have to wait and see. Yeah! Things have gone down. Wait 'till the next chapter, which is the aftermath. ;)**

 **C0RPS3Phexis: Thank you so much! I appreciate the feedback. :)**

 **AutumnLeaves03: What Percy saw will be explained in later chapters. Rachel was actually a good person! :) I hope you liked this chapter.**

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 **That's it for the reviews! Guys..we're at 399. I'm going to die once we reach 400, thank you so much! That was my story's goal, and it isn't even finished yet! I love you guys so much. This story will have about 4-5 chapters left, and maybe an epilogue. Keep smiling, xxx.**


	27. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

 **A/N: I'm glad so many of you guys enjoyed the last chapter! We also hit 400 reviews! Thank you guys so much! Wow, I love you all.**

 _ **HUGE**_ **thanks to JustOneMorePage for being absolutely fantastic and helping me get this chapter up! Also, guys, you** _ **have**_ **to read her story. It's fabulous and incredible.**

 **Anyway, without further ado, onto the chapter!**

Thalia's P.O.V:

 _3 weeks later after.._

Thalia watched as the judge called Annabeth up, tightening her fingers into a fist. She watched Annabeth's stiff body movement, and how ragged her footsteps were.

Annabeth was undoubtedly nervous.

"Annabeth Chase," the judge said, "please state why you are here and whether you plead guilty or non guilty."

Annabeth nodded. She made eye contact with Thalia, and Thalia looked back at her with a small smile of reassurance.

Annabeth spoke in a heavy voice, but managed to keep it steady the entire time. "I am not guilty. My husband domestically abused me. About a month ago, he took me into an abandoned building while I was sleeping. He threatened to sell me to this man, Octavian, to whom he owed a debt to. That day, his wife, Rachel, and I fed him poison that would slowly kill him. Octavian had also arrived then, and he was ready to take-"

Annabeth's voice broke, and she heaved a deep sigh. Tears were glistening in her eyes, and Thalia wanted to go up and hug her. She was tempted to try to erase every little bad memory from Annabeth's mind, to try to make her happy again. She wanted to rid Annabeth of the things she'd endured, but as she swallowed the lump in her throat, Thalia realized she could only do so much.

Annabeth continued. "He was ready to take me away."

The judge asked, "Are you aware of where?"

Annabeth shook her head. "No, Your Honor."

"What had happened to Luke Castellan, then?"

"He drank the water we'd given him." Annabeth responded.

"I see," the judge said. "How has Luke Castallen threatened you?"

Annabeth visibly gulped. "He used to threaten me with a knife, Your Honor. He used to throw vases at me, and anything else he could find, such as glass or anything of the sort."

"Why did you never report this?"

"I was scared," Annabeth admitted. Thalia could see how much it killed her to say that, and for a moment, Thalia felt her gut wrenching for her best friend.

"What had happened to Rachel Dare?" Annabeth's lawyer, a woman named Zoe asked.

Pain flashed in Annabeth's eyes. "When Rachel offered him the drink, he made sure she drank it first to confirm there was nothing in it."

The lawyer nodded. "Rachel Dare risked her life for you, correct?"

"Correct."

"What was Miss. Dare's relationship to Luke Castallen?" The judge questioned, her voice rumbling through the entire court.

"Rachel was supposedly engaged to Luke. He used to bring her to our apartment and kick me out. I did not know much about their relationship, but there wedding was supposed to take place soon." Annabeth responded, slightly moving her neck back and forth, a gesture Thalia knew too well. Annabeth was sweating.

"Rachel Dare is now dead, correct?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

"She passed away the day she ingested the poison?"

"Correct."

"When Luke Castallen was examined, he had quite a few broken bones. Was the poison the cause of this?"

Annabeth's gaze traveled towards Thalia before she pursed her lips. "No, Your Honor. Thalia Grace caused his broken bones. About an hour after he had ingested the poison, Thalia had came in and broken his bones."

"How long have you known Thalia Grace?" Her lawyer asked.

"Six years," Annabeth replied.

"Very well," the judge spoke.

Thalia bit the inside of her cheek, anxiety bubbling inside of her stomach. She moved her foot around, it having fell asleep.

The judge was silent for a moment. "May we please have Thalia Grace to enter the witness box."

Thalia caught her breath. Slowly, she stood up, and all eyes locked on her. Annabeth watched her, hope clear in her eyes.

While walking through to the witness box, Thalia swore to herself she'd do everything possible to help Annabeth. Annabeth at least deserved _that_ much, if not more.

"Thalia Grace," the judge said, once she reached the box. "You are a police officer, correct?"

Thalia swallowed. "Yes, Your Honor."

"Were you aware of the abuse taking place?"

"Yes, I was." Thalia answered.

The judge raised an eyebrow, "Why did you not report it?"

Digging her nails into her palms, Thalia said, "I didn't know that it was this bad, Your Honor. Annabeth hadn't told me about how much he was hurting her, and once I did find out, I located where Luke was and found him."

"You broke multiple bones?"

"Yes, I did."

The judge nodded. "Very well. Do you know anything about the man, Octavian?"

"He was a dealer, and wanted Annabeth."

"Do you know why he wanted Miss. Chase?"

Thalia shook her head. "I believe he had a mental problem. He's in jail, now,"

The judge paused for a moment. Then, she said, "I see," and turned to Hermes on the other side of the court.

"Hermes Castallen," The judge said, slowly, "you are the abuser's father?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

Hermes was stiff, his blonde hair combed and his eyes darting between the judge and Annabeth. Thalia didn't detect any evil in his eyes. To her, he seemed like an ordinary man.

"Did you know of Luke's plans?" The judge asked.

"No," Hermes responded. "I did not. Luke never brought anything up, and after the marriage, he had completely disconnected from me, work being an exception."

"You are the owner of the HermesFedEx company, correct?"

"I am, Your Honor," Hermes said. "Luke was never suspicious around work, and he worked alongside with me, and he was almost always on time, also."

"I see. The marriage with Miss. Chase and Mr. Castallen was arranged, yes?"

Hermes pursed his lips. "Yes, Your Honor. I had no idea about what Luke and Annabeth never told me-"

He broke off, looking desperately at Annabeth. The pain and guilt swirling in his eyes had Thalia feeling bad for him, and she couldn't imagine how he would be feeling.

" _Annabeth,_ " Hermes breathed, "honey, why _didn't you tell me?"_

Annabeth looked back at him, "I was _terrified_. Luke told me he would _kill_ me if I told anyone or did something. He killed my mother to prove it. I didn't want to hurt anybody."

"What about _yourself_? Your father and I arranged this marriage because you both seemed so happy together and I thought-I thought you were _happy_." Hermes seemed incredulous, throwing his hands up in the air.

Annabeth glanced down, and didn't answer.

The judge cleared her throat, peering at Hermes. "You didn't know anything?"

"No!" Hermes cried, then realized he was in front of the entire court. He cleared his throat and adjusted his suit. "No, Your Honor."

"Well," the judge said, "Annabeth Chase is eligible to sue you you for any price."

Hermes sighed. "I know. That is why I'm offering her $950,000."

Annabeth's P.O.V:

When Annabeth heard those seven words, she almost passed out.

Even the judge looked surprised for a moment. Then, she turned to Annabeth. "Are you willing to accept this, Miss. Chase?"

Annabeth took the thought into mind. How much could she do with that much money? She could go to college, find a stable home, live freely and even get a job..

Yet she refused to accept it. "I don't want the money."

Hermes looked surprised, and just then did Annabeth realize how _less_ $950,000 was to him. She offered a small, forced smile, and shook her head.

"The money has already been transferred into your bank account," Hermes said. "You can take the money. It is truly the least I can do for apologizing, Annabeth. I would gladly offer more if you want."

Annabeth's jaw dropped. " _Why_?"

Hermes looked at her as if that were the stupidest question he'd ever received. "You deserve it."

"I can't take it," Annabeth said. "It's too much money. Just give me ten thousand."

Hermes shook his head. "Annabeth, please. I want to help you."

Annabeth sighed. She had no choice but to accept.

Percy's P.O.V:

(2 hours later..)

The sound of the knocking on the door brought a smile to Percy's face. He leaped up from the couch and answered the hotel door, coming face to face with Annabeth.

She smiled slowly, that beautiful smile Percy had fallen for. He took her into his arms as he shut the door behind her, spinning her around. "How was the trial?"

"I got offered $950,000 from Hermes."

Percy pulled away from her, his eyes wide. "Are you serious?"

Annabeth nodded, plopping onto the couch and sighing tiredly. "He'd already transferred it into my bank account."

Percy stared at her, mouth open. "Wow," he finally said. "What are you planning on doing with it?"

Annabeth shrugged, shaking her head slightly. "Honestly? I have no idea. I think I want to start off new, though. Maybe move away from here and attend college."

"Good idea."

She looked up at him, "You didn't go to college yet, have you?"

Percy shook his head.

A grin lit up Annabeth's face. "You can go with me, too! We can go together."

Percy felt a tug at his heart as he took in her happiness. "Let's see."

"Things are crazy," Annabeth admitted. "I can't wait until all of this stress is over."

Percy laced his fingers with hers. "You've got me, you know."

Annabeth nodded. "I know. And I'm so glad I met you. Honestly, Percy Jackson, you've changed my life."

"I hope that's a good thing."

"That's a _wonderful_ thing. And so are you."

A smile stretched on Percy's face. The happiness that overcame him when she said that was unexplainable, and he wished he could show her how much she meant to him. "I'm glad I met you, too, 'the-grey-eyed-girl'. I really am."

"I know," Annabeth breathed. She grabbed his hand, and looked up at him. "Before we say anything else, though, I want to kiss you. I've been dying to do it all day."

The corners of Percy's mouth quirked up. She was so _amazing_. "Okay."

He happily complied, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer. She kissed him harder, until their bodies were pressed together.

Once they pulled away, which Percy did with much regret, he twirled a strand of hair onto his finger. "How do you feel about going out with me all day tomorrow?"

She smiled at him. "Absolutely."

Percy's stomach twisted. He had a special surprise for Annabeth, but had no idea if she'd agree or not. The thought sent shivers crawling down his spine, and his pulse beat faster with every thought. Although, what happened did then had Percy's mind spinning and he lost the thought.

Annabeth kissed him again.

Poseidon's P.O.V:

Out of everything Poseidon imagined ever doing, apologizing was not one of them. His gaze darted between the door and Hades, his mind still wishing he could leave the room.

Hades sighed. "Poseidon, do not act this immature."

"I am not being immature," Poseidon answered. "I just don't understand _why_ I'm apologizing to you."

Hades raised an eyebrow, "Do you not remember your wife?"

Poseidon's jaw clenched. "I don't remember agreeing to this."

Hades spread files across the table. "Do you remember these, Poseidon?"

The files had pictures on them, each one with Sally and her personal information. Next to it was the old piece of paper that was signed over a decade ago, by every gang member that had been included stating they would never be intimate with any woman.

The messy signatures of all the people that Poseidon had lost touch with caused him an irrational burst of anger and annoyance. He turned to Hades, "What about _Maria?_ "

"That was different," Hades replied, cooly. He glanced up at Poseidon, dark eyes boring into Poseidon's sea green ones.

For a second, Poseidon had a flashback of when they were best friends, doing everything possible together. It had always been Poseidon and Hades, committing crimes. Poseidon had always turned to Hades, and they'd been practically brothers.

Then Sally came along. And Percy.

Nothing was ever the same.

Poseidon stood up, a guarded expression on his face. "I don't care. This was years ago, and if you aren't willing to accept the fact that I left, I have no problem leaving."

Hades looked up at him, "I came all the way from New York to discuss this conflict."

"Yes, well," Poseidon looked ahead of him, reaching for the door, "some conflicts aren't meant to be resolved."

 **A/N: I've been looking forward to the next chapter for a while now. But, sadly, it may not be up for a while. But, TWSH has about 3-5 chapters left! :)**

 **JustOneMorePage: I LOVE YOU SO MUCH 3 (you're too awesome, I swear)**

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	28. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

Octavian's P.O.V:

Octavian laid his head against the metal wall, feeling the strange urge to bang his head until he passed out.

The cool feeling of the bars seemed to be taunting him, the darkness ahead mocking him of the fact that he had a life's worth of time in the cell. Octavian gripped a metal bar, closing his fingers around the cool metal.

Shutting his eyes, Octavian wished he could stay like that forever. Images of weeks ago flashed through his mind, the gun wound, the poisonous liquid, hearing the enemies' bones crack. A small smirk dawned on his lips, and he couldn't bring it in himself to feel guilty about what had happened. In fact, it only made him happy to know that the woman, Annabeth, would be scarred for her entire life.

A throat cleared, and Octavian glanced up. A man in all black was watching him, his dark eyes piercing.

"Yes?" Octavian asked, removing his hands from the bars cooly. "May I help you?"

The man shook his head in disgust. "You haven't changed."

Octavian arched an eyebrow. "I don't want to change."

"Good. You're going to suffer in the end, anyways."

"Who _are_ you?"

"I," the man said, bringing his face closer to the bars, "am the person that wishes you die in agony."

"You seem friendly."

The man snarled, seeming to be holding himself back. "You ruined the lives of so many people, and even wanting to _buy_ a perfectly good woman, shot and killed innocents, and still think you're going somewhere?"

"I know I'm going somewhere."

"Yes," the man told him. His eyes locked with Octavian's bloodshot ones, rage and fury dancing. "You're going to _hell_."

"Nah," Octavian laughed. "I did the right thing. What's your name, again?"

"You don't need to know that."

"Well," Octavian leaned against the bars. "Why did you decide to present yourself here today, then?"

"Because as much as I love to be here, I'd like you to know that everything you tried failed. All your secret agencies. Trying to have Luke join whatever you planned. It's over."

Octavian grinned. "Luke won't let some officers stop him. You're underestimating him."

The man in front of him started shaking silently, and Octavian thought he was sobbing. Then, he realized that he was laughing hysterically.

"What's wrong with you?"

The man straightened up, but his eyes never left Octavian's. " _Luke?_ Nobody told you?"

"Told me what?"

"Luke," the man said the word slowly, a mocking edge to his voice, "is _dead._ "

Octavian narrowed his eyes. "Liar."

"It feels so good to tell you this." the man said. "Luke died the same day you were arrested."

A surge of panic went through Octavian, though he tried to hide it. "Luke isn't dead. He wasn't hurt."

"I suppose not," the man mused. "But he _was_ gullible and credulous. Such a shame, he acted all mighty when in the end all that was left of him was his worthless body."

Alarms were setting off in Octavian's mind, and he felt the urge to knock the man out. "No."

" _Yes._ You're not going anywhere, and nor is anything you've planned. Your life is over."

Octavian opened his mouth to speak, but the man had already turned and left, blending in with the shadows.

* * *

Annabeth's P.O.V:

"You look beautiful."

Annabeth turned to find her best friend leaning against the doorframe, watching her with a grin. She neared Annabeth, an elated glint in her eye.

Blushing, Annabeth replied, "Thanks."

"You seriously do," Thalia commented. "You _are_ beautiful. Always have been."

A small smile formed on Annabeth's lips, and she didn't answer. A thankful glance at Thalia was all she needed to get her point across.

"Make up or no make up?" Annabeth questioned Thalia, slightly incredulous that she was asking the question. She had _never_ willingly put on makeup, but this night, Annabeth wanted things to be perfect.

Thalia raised an eyebrow, plopping onto the seat. "Why the hell would you need makeup? You're perfect with and without it. And it's your choice."

Signing, Annabeth bit her lip. She eyed herself in the mirror. She'd thrown on a pair of leggings and a sleeveless gray blouse, finished off with a cardigan. She decided a swipe of mascara and a lick of her lips to substitute the lip gloss would do.

Annabeth spread her hands out, "How do I look?"

"Prepossessing. Gorgeous. Breathtaking. Stunning." Thalia answered, not missing a beat.

Annabeth shot her a grateful look. "Thanks. Percy's going to be here in a minute. I can't mess anything up. And, if you want to stay here, go ahead."

Thalia nodded. They had both spent the entire week getting rid of all of Luke's possessions, taking their sweet time burning everything. "Nah, I've got work in an hour. Starting at seven."

Annabeth raised her eyebrows, "When will you be back?"

"About dawn," Thalia responded. She stretched her arms out into a yawn, then a tired sigh. "Then I can sleep for as long as I'd like."

Annabeth smiled. "Good. Get rest."

Thalia winked. "Besides, I don't want to come back here with you and Percy doing something I don't want to see."

Heat rushed to Annabeth's face, and she threw her pillow at Thalia. "Shut up."

Thalia laughed. "I can tell you really like him."

"I think I love him."

"Huh," Thalia stood up, and ruffled Annabeth's hair. "He better treat you right, or else I'll have to show him how to."

Annabeth grinned, though it faltered a bit. "I know he'll treat me right-"

She was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell, and Thalia jumped up before Annabeth and ran towards the door. Following her and shaking her head, Annabeth reached the door within seconds after Thalia. Her best friend seemed to be scrutinizing Percy, who gave her an amused smile.

When Annabeth saw Percy, her heart exploded. He was wearing a polo and jeans, hands fitted in his pockets.

Due to the angle of where Annabeth was standing and Percy having focused all his attention on Thalia, Percy didn't see her yet. She tried to calm her nerves because he looked _gorgeous_ and all Annabeth wanted to do was kiss him.

"And," Thalia continued, "you will get her home and treat her right before I break your face. Got it?"

Percy nodded. Thalia gave a noise of approval, then stepped to the side. Annabeth came into Percy's view, and his sea green eyes widened.

His mouth opened, then shut. "I-"

Annabeth blushed, shuffling her feet. "You?"

"Jesus," Percy breathed, rubbing the back of his neck.

Thalia gave Percy a pat on his back, a smile dancing on her lips. "Her name's Annabeth."

* * *

Half an hour later, Annabeth found herself sitting across Percy on an open patch of grass, a blanket strewn on the patch carelessly.

"So," Percy was lying down on the grass, and he turned his head to face her. "Anything new?

Annabeth sighed. "So much stuff, you don't even know."

Percy grabbed her hand, squeezing it. "I hope it's good things."

"It's _wonderful_ things." Annabeth laid beside him.

She noticed how the orange light from the sunset reflected across Percy's face, revealing the freckles that seemed to be scattered all throughout his nose. His jet black hair glowed in the light, adding a sort of reddish glow that Annabeth so badly wanted to touch.

Percy watched her for a moment before pulling her close and kissing her forehead. " _You're_ wonderful."

The sun was warming Annabeth's skin, but she was sure that the tingles that went through her weren't caused by the sun. She shivered slightly, wrapping her arms around Percy. "I'm so glad you're here."

"I am too, Wise Girl." Percy suddenly grinned. "Do you remember how we first met?"

"A party?" Annabeth questioned.

Percy's eyebrows furrowed. "What party?"

"Thalia's party, remember?"

Realization appeared on Percy's face, but was quickly replaced with confusion. "You were there?"

"Yeah," Annabeth said. "I was Andrew- _oh."_

"Andrew?" Percy repeated incredulously. "Thalia's date?"

Annabeth smiled sheepishly. "Did I never tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"I was Andrew," Annabeth replied. "As in I dressed up to be a guy because Thalia didn't have anyone to go with. And..yeah."

"You dressed up to be a _guy?_ For _Thalia?_ "

"Yes," Annabeth responded. Percy was now grinning and shaking his head. "What?"

"Just when I thought you couldn't get any better," Percy told her. "You tell me this."

Annabeth blushed. "That wasn't anything amazing."

"It was. And so are you."

"Is your entire goal of this date to make me blush?"

Percy grinned. "That's half of it. Plus, you look gorgeous when you blush."

Annabeth playfully slapped his hand. "Stop it."

He pulled her up, happiness glimmering in his eyes. "Stop what, Annabeth?"

"Being so-"

He interrupted her by kissing her, a slow and soft kiss. Electricity climbed up Annabeth's spine, and she pulled him closer. His lips were soft and he kissed her back with passion and care. Tangling her fingers in his silky locks, Annabeth pulled away and laughed, breathless.

"I remember now," she told him. "We met on Whisper."

He winked at her. "Indeed, 'the-grey-eyed-girl'. You were something, alright."

Annabeth titled her head back. "I can say the same about you."

"I have a feeling you could say many things about me,"

"Yes," Annabeth said, locking her gaze with Percy's. "I can, Seaweed Brain."

"I really don't think this was supposed to happen," Percy admitted, lightly tracing her finger.

"What wasn't supposed to happen?"

"You meeting me," Percy said quietly. "I have to go back to New York in two days. I wasn't supposed to stay here and meet you. I came to California because Nico had to, and God," Percy shut his eyes. "I'm so glad I did."

Annabeth smiled. She knew that Percy would eventually have to leave, but decided not to dwell on the fact. "I can't imagine my life without you."

 _I don't even know if I would have been alive if it weren't for you._

Percy was silent for a moment before he cracked both eyes open. "Annabeth Chase, I'm not even sure I'd _have_ a life if it weren't for you."

 _I love you_. Annabeth so badly wanted to say, but held back. Percy probably didn't feel the same way.

"Well," Annabeth told him, suddenly unsure what to say. "You're amazing."

Percy kissed her cheek before standing up. He held a hand out for Annabeth, and pulled her up.

"What are we doing?" Annabeth asked him.

"Come on," Percy urged. "I have another thing to show you."

* * *

Annabeth felt like she had always belonged in the city.

Aside from how gorgeous it was, the fact that there were so _many_ people that couldn't care less about your past were there. You could easily get lost and blend in with the crowd and forget about everything. Get lost in the noises and surround yourself with a new life.

To Annabeth, Percy was her city. He was her life, her light in the dark. But of course, he didn't know that.

The two were sitting side by side on top of a building, feet dangling off the side. Percy kept insisting it was "safe", and saying if Annabeth held on to him, he would never let her go. He wouldn't let her fall.

"What if I _do_ fall?" Annabeth asked, looking down at the height. The length from the ground to the building was hundreds of feet, but that didn't scare her.

"Then I fall with you," Percy mumbled into her hair.

Annabeth felt him shift until she was sitting on his lap, and she leaned against his chest. Faintly, she could hear the comforting sound of his heart beat. "Luke never did this, you know."

Percy began to rub light circles on her thigh. "Do what?"

"Whenever he took me out, he used to threaten me with everything he had. He never showed me anything like this." Annabeth hated to talk about her problems, but something about letting them out relaxed her.

Percy stopped breathing softly for a second before he said, "Luke deserves to go to hell."

"Do you believe in hell?" Annabeth asked him, quietly. "Do you believe in heaven?"

"I don't know," Percy admitted. "You want to hear what I think about it?"

"I would want to hear anything from you."

She could practically hear his smile when he talked. "I think that we're all like a flame to a candle. We start burning at different times, and distinguish at different times. Our flame flares differently than anybody else's. It ranges from size and shape, but sometimes, other candles light other candles."

"You light me up."

Percy placed a kiss on the back of her neck. "You light me up, too. And what happens once we stop burning, that's what we _don't_ know. Maybe nature causes it, or maybe some higher, superior being does it. One way to find out, huh?"

Annabeth glanced down on the streets of California, watching cars fly by, and people make their way across peacefully. What stories did they hold?

"That was something," she told Percy. The darkness of the night caused her to feel at home, at peace.

"I bet it was weird."

"Not at all." Annabeth gave Percy a peck on the cheek. "I loved it."

She contemplated on whether to say the next four words, and before she could stop herself, Annabeth blurted, "And, I love you."

Percy stiffened for a split second before his posture melted. He gently turned Annabeth around, the wind billowing through her hair. "I love you," he told her.

He kissed her nose. "I."

Her jaw. "Love."

Her forehead. "You."

Emotions of love and desire coursed through Annabeth, and she couldn't help but let out a breathless sigh. Was this what feeling loved and wanted felt like? Is this what she'd been missing out on?

Her heartbeat raced as he told her the three simple words that could mean the world to someone.

"I swear," Percy breathed, "Luke won't hurt you anymore. Nobody will. I'm not letting you go."

Annabeth smiled, placing her hands on his cheeks. She traced his lip with her finger. "Never?"

Percy shook his head. "Never."

"Promise it," Annabeth said. "Like you made me promise I'd stay safe when we first met."

"I promise I'll never let you go," Percy told her.

"I won't ever leave you," Annabeth promised.

A smirk broke out into Percy's face. "It sounds like we're getting married."

"I wouldn't mind that."

"I wouldn't, either. Hey, Wise Girl?"

"Yeah?" Annabeth locked her eyes with Percy's.

Her lover rummaged through his pockets before pulling out two slips of paper.

Annabeth couldn't comprehend what the writing said, but she felt a wave of excitement flood through her. "What's that?"

His eyes glimmered with hope. Even in the darkness, Annabeth could see the green orbs perfectly.

"How do you feel about going to New York with me?"

 **A/N: I think this is one of the best chapters in this story. I love it so much. Plus, it's a bit longer than the usual chapters. Anyway, what do y'all think? I hope you like it. I tried my best to update before Christmas (and I'll try for Broken, though no promises), to give you guys something special. This is the third last chapter, by the way. The next one will be the last one before the epilogue. Just FYI.**

 **I got so many reviews for the last chapter! (Which makes me so happy) It makes me so happy to respond to them.**

 **JustOneMorePage: I love you! Seriously, you are wonderful.**

 **ShatteredOwl: XD okay. You do that. Rachel was planned to be dead months ago :0 What did you think of this chapter?**

 **Guest: This made my day..thank you so much! I'm glad to hear. ;)**

 **AutumnLeaves03: That's a hell lot of money, but Annabeth deserves it. I know, like you could buy hundreds of thousands of candy bars. Sometimes characters just gotta die, you know? Thanks! :)**

 **Bobnumber2: Ahhh, thank you!**

 **Sweet Cats: I missed your reviews. Like, while writing chapters 26 and 27, I was like, "I hope they review.." and I'm so happy you did ! Sometimes characters just gotta die. So, Percy didn't propose, and I won't give out any spoilers, but how was this surprise? :)**

 **clo7615: Glad to hear..thank you! :)**

 **The Blue Warrior: I thought about this review for several hours. Hope you know that. This means so much to me, and I'm** _ **so**_ **excited and glad you like it! It really means a lot.**

 **unspoken-code: Yeah! I'm so glad you like it (so far). I'm glad I can finally get to Percabeth, as fun as the drama was, I adore fluff. What did you think of the surprise? Let me know ! :)**

 **greekgeekgirlbro: Same, man. Same.**

 **crazybooknerd112: I gasped** _ **really**_ **loud when I read this. Gosh, this means the absolute world to me. Don't thank me; thank** _ **you**_ **for being so fantastic and deciding to click on this story. It wouldn't have been possible without the feedback I've received. Thank you so much!**

 **.just. : I don't even remember when I got this plot. It was somewhere in April, and it was a caleo idea before I modified it to Percabeth. I have this** _ **huge**_ **crush on Jake Abel, and it's absolutely ridiculous, but he's so cute. Only reason I watched the second PJO movie. And the first. (Which I regret immensely.) Thank you so much!**

 **Someone the World Forgot: I don't cry all that much, either. Eh, I just had to kill Rachel. She needed to die to spice the story up, you know? Let me know what you think of this chapter! :)**

 **BookLuver4ever7: I know! There's more fluff for you in this chapter ! :D Honestly, I have no idea what I'll do after TWSH. Guess we get to see. Sadly, Percy didn't propose, but what did you think of the surprise nonetheless?**

 **KHCMC36: Sorry about Rachel D: There's only two or maybe one possibly chapter left of TWSH, so brace yourself for the grand finale! You're too kind, I'm telling you. It means** _ **so much**_ **that you like my chapters. I can't tell you how much I look forward to your review and read it over and over again. So glad you like it. Don't stop being awesome, either! Thank you! (Hope you liked the chapter!)**

 **theartnerd333: Yay! So glad to hear you like it! I know, Percabeth is amazing.**

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 **I really don't: Glad to hear :) Thank you. I hope you like this chapter!**

 **twinsarekeepers: You can message me if you'd like :( I understand.**

 **IAmSuchAFangirl: I'm glad you found me! Hope you like my other stories, and this chapter. You're so sweet ! :)**

 **emmagrace13: Sadly, Octavian isn't dead. I feel bad for Rachel, too. And I'm so excited for percabeth. What** _ **is**_ **between Hades and Poseidon? They can't let go of the past. Hope you like this chapter!**

 **ShrimpOnAStick: Thank you so much! You're so sweet. :D**

 **Booknerds22202: I missed you! I have the same emotions as you do for this story.**

 **Rae: Ahh, thank you! I'm so glad you like this story! :D**

 **CassylovesPercabeth: I know right! Percabeth forever.**

 **That's it for all the (amazing) reviews. Thank you to all of those that read/review/follow/favorite this story. It makes me so happy. Happy New Year and holidays for all of my readers. I have another Christmas fic that will hopefully be up soon! I look forward to updating in 2016! Keep smiling, xxx.**


	29. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

Percy's P.O.V:

(A week after..)

As his car exited the highway, Percy glanced at the woman who was sitting on the passenger seat. Annabeth's head was turned away from him, and Percy imagined her eyes wide and jaw dropped as she took in the scenery of New York.

Percy cleared his throat, the wind whipping through his hair. He felt a sort of homesickness for New York City, and longed to walk on the sidewalks. Promising himself that he'd make sure to walk Annabeth on every road of New York, Percy grabbed her hand with his free arm, squeezing it affectionately.

She turned to him, excitement shimmering in her eyes. A smile was planted onto her face, and she was bouncing up and down. Annabeth's excitement spread through him, and he felt like he was finally home, in the bustling of the New York streets and towering skyscrapers.

With Annabeth.

"Oh," Annabeth breathed, her curls flying everywhere due to the wind. "Percy, this is absolutely _gorgeous."_

"I know someone even more gorgeous."

Turning to face Percy, Annabeth leaned over and gave him a quick, chaste kiss on the cheek. She unbuckled her seatbelt, "Are we there yet?"

Percy chuckled, "No. Just a couple more minutes."

"I told Thalia I'd call her once we got there, and she expected a call an hour ago."

Percy raised an eyebrow, making a left turn. "Well, it isn't my fault that your kissing distracted me."

Annabeth just let out an airy sigh, seeming to be too excited to talk. "I just can't wrap my mind around the fact that I'm here. In New York. With _you_."

"Hard for me to believe, too, Wise Girl."

"This is perfect," Annabeth was silent for a moment. "Wait, but, are we going to your apartment?"

Percy nodded, already assuming the question Annabeth would ask. "And I don't know if my stepfather is there or not, there's one way to see."

"Where would we stay?"

Percy laughed, "Do you think I'm _that_ unprepared?"

"You never told me."

"I rented a house," Percy said slowly. "It's not that big, but remember that picture I showed you three days ago? You said you loved it."

If possible, Annabeth's eyes got brighter. "Tell me you didn't get that."

"I got that."

An unexpected squeal left Annabeth, and she grinned. "We'll pay the rent together and things are going to go perfect and-"

"You're rambling."

Blushing, Annabeth closed her mouth. "I'm sorry. I'm just so excited."

"I like you being excited," Percy told her. "It's cute."

He found it weird how he was so comfortable about Annabeth, all worries dissipating when he was near her. She made him feel warm and welcomed, but most of all, he felt like there was a spark inside her soul that was absolutely beautiful when lit.

Before any other words were exchanged, he neared a small apartment building, positioned tightly between two others. The paint was slowly peeling off, causing a dull shade of white as the color of the exterior. He glanced up at the second balcony, a strange feeling rising in his stomach.

Nothing about it had changed. A rotting plant was still placed at the edge, but other than that, the balcony seemed untouched.

Gabe would either be here, or he wouldn't. Percy couldn't decide which would be better.

Of course, when he told Annabeth he would be right back and walked towards the old entrance, Percy walked with a sort of confidence that Gabe would no longer destroy. He pulled the door -which was never locked- of the apartment open, and stepped up on the wooden stairs. The apartment itself smelt like eggs and syrup combined, and Percy wrinkled his nose.

He arrived at the door where Gabe was most likely residing in. The same place he had dreamed of getting away from for years on end.

32B. _32B._

Before he had a chance to back out, Percy pushed the knob open, finding it, too, unlocked. Weird. Gabe had always threatened Percy if he didn't lock the door, and even if it seemed years ago, it had barely been four months. What caused him to change his mind?

He tried to ignore and push away the anxiety bubbling all inside him. When he took a step into the room, Percy's first thought was, _where's the smell of beer and cigarettes?_

He was met with plain, white walls. The scent of lemon hung in the air, and cleaning supplies were placed against walls. The carpets all had been rid of the dark stains from Gabe, which surprised Percy since the stains seemed almost permanent.

As he searched every hallway and room, Percy found everything _empty_. There was no sign that Gabe had _ever_ resided here, and a twisted yet not entirely uncomfortable feeling coursed through Percy. When he reached the end of the hallway, Percy opened the bathroom door, and to his surprise, a man was standing there, back turned.

"Um, excuse me?"

The stranger turned, and Percy knew he had never seen him in his entire life. He had dirty blonde hair and washed out, blue eyes. Wrinkles formed underneath his eyes and he smiled at Percy. From what he could guess, Percy assumed he was a worker.

"Yes?" The man had a rough British accent.

"I'm looking for a man who lived here," Percy said. "His name was Gabe?"

"I'm sorry, but that man moved out a month ago. I believe it was to Maine, but I forgot. Anyways, he isn't here anymore. We're cleaning his apartment out. Is there something you need?"

Slowly, Percy shook his head. He resisted the urge to hug the man. Gabe was _gone._ He wasn't in Percy's life anymore. _He wasn't in Percy's life anymore._

"Thank you," Percy said to the man.

In response the man nodded, and continued to paint the walls of the bathroom. He left the apartment in record time, practically running through the halls.

When he exited the building, the air of New York suddenly became cheerier. He rushed to his car, where Annabeth was watching him with an odd look, feet propped up against the dashboard. Opening the door, Percy sat inside, "Guess what?"

"What?"

Percy kissed her lips. "Gabe moved. He's not here anymore, Wise Girl."

A smile broke out into Annabeth's face. "Really? Seaweed Brain, that's amazing!"

"I know," Percy told her, reversing the car and being back on the streets once again. "It _is_ amazing."

Ten minutes later, Percy pulled up onto a driveway that was perfectly polished, and he shut the engine. He grabbed the house keys that were beside him. The house in front of them was just one story tall, but it was wide. The walls were a shade of brown, the door standing out in light brown. Windows were placed along the first side of the house, taking up at least half of the wall.

Annabeth shut the door and appeared beside Percy. "Ready?"

Percy twirled the keys in his hand. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Together, they walked towards the door, Percy still in awe that he would get to stay here. He opened the door with the keys, holding the door out for Annabeth.

She gave him a small before stepping in, Percy at her heels. He shut the door behind him, looking around.

"Woah."

Right in front of them were three stairs that led up to the living room to the right. A railing was attached next to the stairs. Right in front of them was a large closet that could be opened by a fancy knob. The living room was big, but not too big. Percy guessed it was just a couple feet wider than the living room in his apartment. It was empty, except for a couple of outlets in the side.

The living room connected to the dining room, which led to the kitchen.

In the kitchen, granite counters were placed perfectly against the walls, the sink and stove matching with the trim of the kitchen. The tiles of the kitchen floor radiating with the light of the window coming from the window on top of the sink made Percy smile. He faintly imagined waking up to Annabeth in the kitchen, or vice versa. The simple thought added to his excitement, and stared at Annabeth lovingly, even though her back was turned to him.

"Are you liking it?"

Eagerly, Annabeth nodded. "The architecture is so beautiful."

He walked over to the bedroom, which was led from the hallway through the kitchen.

Needless to say, as Percy pushed the door open, his jaw dropped. The entire room was _huge_ , and it could fit at least two king sized beds. The walls were a pale green, and the floor was soft carpet. A window was positioned on three of the walls, the trim of them a gorgeous dark gray. A closet took up a third of the wall across from the door.

A door to the bathroom was adjoined at the very end of the room, and Percy peered out the window of the house. Annabeth appeared beside him, laying her head on his shoulder.

"What do you think of the house?"

Annabeth turned away from him, spreading her arms out. "What do I think?"

Percy raised an eyebrow, nodding as she dramatically looked over the room.

She winked at him.

"I think this place needs some remodeling."

Annabeth's P.O.V:

( _2 months later_..)

"Is this a joke?"

Percy shook his head, a grin spreading across his features. "Come on, Wise Girl. It isn't that bad."

Annabeth placed her hands on her hips. "I am _not_ doing a treasure hunt."

"Come on," Percy pouted. He stuck his bottom lip out, widening his eyes. The gesture caused slight dimples to appear on his cheeks.

After a moment of staring at him, Annabeth gave in. "Fine."

He grinned, and fished out a paper from his pocket. It was a list, with five main items, and small sentences written under each point. She quickly scanned it. _Sweet on America Candy, Beauregard Chocolate, Flowers, Necklace, Book._

"What's this?" Annabeth asked him, a fluttering in her stomach.

"Nothing," Percy's tone was innocent. "I have to go to get a couple things for the house, but I'll be back soon. And when I am, you should have finished this treasure hunt, okay?"

Annabeth nodded. "So all I have to do is-"

Percy interrupted her with a long kiss, before breaking apart.

"Just find all the items."

Again, Annabeth nodded. "Okay. Cool."

He gave her another quick peck before leaving the room, and a second later, Annabeth heard the door shut.

The sound of the door reminded Annabeth of when Luke used to slam the door in her face, and all the times he would kick her out. She shook her head in hopes of clearing the memory, and sighed. Luke wasn't in her life anymore. She was safe.

Eyeing the list again, Annabeth read the directions on the first one. _Go to the room where we had our first make out session (which, Wise Girl, is a place I hope you'll never forget)._

Annabeth smiled, and exited the bedroom. She walked towards the kitchen, placing her hands onto the granite counter. All around the kitchen were packets of chips, cookies, and other foods littered all around.

She remembered precisely when the first time Percy had kissed her, sitting on top of the counter. He'd placed here on the counter and told her how much he loved her, and always would.

Placed perfectly on the counter was a piece of blue candy. Attached to it was a note that read "I love you so much."

A laugh left Annabeth, and she took the candy and placed it in her mouth. It was a mix between chocolate and raspberries, and Annabeth relished the creamy sweet in her mouth. It reminded her of the sweet sensation she felt when she was with Percy. Like she was dreaming.

Annabeth read the second item on the list. _Beauregard Chocolates. (Go to the place where we watched ten movies in a row)_

The living room.

A couple weeks ago, Percy and Annabeth created a list of all the movies she hadn't watched, including Star Wars. Her boyfriend had freaked out, and they'd spent the entire night doing nothing but watching movies and cuddling. And kissing.

When she entered the living room, Annabeth immediately went to the dark couch they'd bought in the early days of living together. Surprisingly, it hadn't been awkward living with Percy. It felt almost..natural.

On the couch was another sweet; this time a candy. It was a chocolate, with caramel drizzled all over the surface. She popped it into her mouth, closing her eyes as the delicious chocolate melted on her tongue. Even after she'd swallowed it, the taste of caramel lingered in her mouth.

The note next to it read, "You mean so much to me."

If possible, Annabeth's mood lifted even more. She decided that when Percy returned from the store, she would make sure to show him how thankful she was for him. He had done all of this, simply for her.

She read the next item on the list. _Flowers. (Go to the place where you spilled water all over me. On purpose.)_

A smile twitched at Annabeth's lips as she went back to the kitchen, and towards the back, where the door to the backyard was located. Opening the door, Annabeth was greeted by the August air. She stepped into their patio, and to the right end. Right next to the plant Percy had insisted on buying were four tulips.

A month ago, when Annabeth was trying to water the plant, Percy refused to stop missing her neck. Playfully, she'd tried to dump a bit of water on him from her gallon of water jug, but her hand slipped. That resulted in Percy to be dumped with a gallon full of water, and soaked to the brim.

The tulips were different colors, arranged from red, yellow, pink, and violet. Annabeth gasped softly as she knelt down to pick them up. Using her prior knowledge, she knew that red tulips meant to declare love, and violet meant faithfulness. Then, as if a switch had been flipped in her mind, she recalled that yellow defined being hopelessly in love, and pink meant to care.

"Wow," Annabeth whispered, picking up the note that was laid upside down next to the tulip. She gathered the four of them in her hands, placing them neatly against the plant.

This time the note read, _I'm so excited._

Annabeth didn't understand what the note meant, but nonetheless pocketed it just as she had with the others. Getting up, Annabeth read the last item on the last. _Necklace. (Where you thought hiding was a good idea when we played hide and seek-and ended up knocking over most of our clothes.)_

Annabeth immediately opened the back door and speed walked to their bedroom, throwing the door open. She rushed to the closet, sliding it open. What necklace did he mean?

In the closet, all of Annabeth's shirts were stacked neatly on top of each other, whereas Percy's were carelessly formed into a messy pile. Her pants and sweatshirts were in another organized stack, and most of Percy's were on the floor of their bedroom, or hanging from the bed. In the empty compartment of the closet was a small box, decorated with red velvet on the top.

Annabeth took it out, and her jaw dropped once she opened it. In the box held a necklace with a silver chain; the pendant shaped into a heart. Engraved onto it were three simple symbols, " _A + P"_ , and Annabeth took it out gently. She held the chain in her hand, balancing the pendant with her two fingers.

Sighing in happiness, Annabeth carefully placed the necklace back into the box, not wanting to ruin the necklace. She took the note out, which had been right next to the box.

 _Annabeth Jackson._

Annabeth's fingers flew to her mouth, and a throat behind her cleared. Turning around, Annabeth came to face a kneeling Percy, holding a box. Inside that box revealed a ring that glinted in the light.

"Annabeth Chase," Percy said, having changed into something more formal, "you mean the world to me. And, really, I don't think anything in this world could express just how much I love you. You walked into my life and changed it, you changed it for the better. I wouldn't be the same person if it weren't for you. Your soul holds something that's truly incredible. You're everything anybody could ever want, if not more. Everything about you is prepossessing, and I am so lucky to have you. I'm dating a goddess." He laughed. "And I can't help but wonder how it would feel to wake up next to you everyday and call you my _wife_." A shake of his head. "That would be unbelievable. It would be my dreams come true. Annabeth Chase, I ask you now, will you do the honors of making me the luckiest man in the world and marrying me?"

All throughout his speech, Annabeth was breathing in deeply. He watched her with a hopeful gaze, mouth twitched upwards.

"Did you plan that speech out?"

Percy sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Not really."

Annabeth laughed, "Then I'm not really sure I can marry you, Perseus."

His mouth fell open, and the hopeful look disappeared. "W-what?"

Annabeth threw her head back before taking the ring and sliding it onto her fingers. "Of course I'll marry you, Percy."

He breathed a sigh of relief before standing up and kissing her. "I love you, he murmured."

She wrapped her hands around his neck, pulling him closer. Annabeth tried to pour all of her passion and gratitude for Percy into the kiss, but she knew she would have many other opportunities. Such as when they kissed on the alter.

When they broke apart, Annabeth admired her ring. It was simple yet gorgeous, with a white jewel and tiny other sea green gems encasing it. The ring fit her perfectly, and she felt a tear sliding down her cheek.

"By the way, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said. "Marrying you wouldn't make me happy; it would make me the luckiest person to live. And, you know, the only reason I _am_ living, is because of you."

He traced her lip with his finger. "I love you so much."

Annabeth grinned. "I love you too, _dork_."

 **A/N: Last chapter before the epilogue! So I know all (or none) of you are probably like, "..why did she update in four days and say it would end in February?" Change of plans! TWSH will probably end** _ **before**_ **2016, or the day it starts. Let's see. I have it all planned out with MajorCartooniac, but I'm also really busy so let's see. It doesn't really feel like TWSH is ending, and I'm probably going to have a hard time letting go. The epilogue will be the wedding, by the way. And another scene. Onto the reviews!**

 **.just. : So glad you liked it! Yeah, it would have been weird if I'd have them fall, and I would've done that if the story wasn't ending. I hate Octavian. Hope you liked this chapter!**

 **Guest: I will** _ **never**_ **leave you guys hanging. For more than a year, at least. I hope you liked this chapter!**

 **MajorCartooniac: Octavian deserves to suffer. Yeah, and you were probably responsible for many of the deaths. Fluff is amazing, my friend. :3 You'll hear about Thalia! She'll be at the wedding ;) Thank you so much! Hope you liked this chapter.**

 **OGkush-OGskywalker: Oh, something glitched with it so I had to take it down. I put it back up, though!**

 **unspoken-code: I'm so glad you liked it! The fact that it's ending is sad, too, because I'll lose contact with a lot of my followers and I will cry because I love you guys so much. Fluff is something that makes me grin for the entire day and want to scream into a pillow for. Luke and Octavian deserve what they get. I hate them as much as everyone does. I hope you liked this chapter!**

 **Booknerds22202: I'm sure you weren't the only one who caught that reference ;) I'm so glad you liked the chapter and I hope you like this too!**

 **ShatteredOwl:** _ **Do not insult my updating skills or I will ignore you again.**_ **Jk. Thanks! I'm glad you liked it! :D**

 **KHCMC36: YAY! LONG REVIEW! *is excited* I'm glad they're dead, too. I know. The fluff made me excited too. The man in black was Ethan! :D THEY'RE GETTING MARRIED OMG I CANNOT WAIT FOR YOUR REVIEW FOR THIS. I'll miss your reviews, too and I'll not get over this for a while. You should find a way to contact me so we can still keep in touch 00: Hope you liked the chapter!**

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 **And that, my beautiful readers, is all of the revi ews. You guys are so incredible and sweet..I'm so happy to have shared this story with you. Happy holidays, guys! I look forward to seeing you guys in the last update of "This Wasn't Supposed to Happen"! Keep smiling, xxx.**


	30. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Percy Jackson.**

The October sun warmed Percy's skin as he walked towards the glittering gravestones.

Glancing behind him, Percy saw Annabeth give him a reassuring smile, leaning against their car. He let out a sigh, the grass crunching against his feet with each step.

Once he reached the one he was looking for, Percy set the flowers onto the dirt beside the grave. He looked up at it, staring at the carvings.

 _Sally Jackson._

Kneeling down, he touched the gravestone softly. It was hard, the years of being left out in the air causing it to turn ragged. He felt a lump in his throat as he stared at it, fighting the urge to turn back and never come back. What was he supposed to say?

Without thinking about it, Percy began speaking. "Hey, mom. It's me. I'm 25 now, which is quite surprising, considering I'd never thought I'd make it this far. Things are so different without you now." He decided to mention Annabeth last. "Gabe's gone. He's gone for good, I think. Or at least I hope so. He deserves to rot in hell. I'm not so sure about Poseidon, though.

"Poseidon wants me to join his company, though I want to go to college first. I'm not sure if I want to follow his footsteps just yet, and I've realized forgiving is easier than staying mad forever. I don't think I'm ever forgiving him, but I think, eventually, I'll get over it. But I'm not ever going to get over your death. But you know what, Mom? I bet somehow you're watching me. And I can't help but wonder what you'd think of me now." Percy felt tears stinging in his eyes, but continued anyway.

"Remember Nico? You'd be so proud of him. He and Will Solace are engaged now. They're getting married in a couple months. He isn't that boy who came over for cookies anymore, Nico's something amazing. He's strong and independent, not to mention annoying. I guess some things don't change, though." Percy laughed. "I met someone else, too. Her name's Annabeth." He instinctively turned to see Annabeth once again. She was watching him with a small smile on her face and when she waved, her ring glinted in the light.

"You'd love her, Mom. She's sweet and kind and god, words can't describe her beauty. She's beautiful inside and out, and sometimes, I can't believe she's mine. Annabeth makes me so happy, and I can only hope I do the same to her. I've officially made it my mission to make her smile everyday. I can imagine her tasting your signature blue cookies and loving them. Who knows," Percy's eyes shined, "maybe one day we'll have our very own recipe and call it 'Percy and Annabeth101' and present it to our kids. She's still way out of my league, though."

He didn't notice the tears streaming down his face until Annabeth was beside him, a sad smile forming on her face.

He took her hand. "We get married today, this beautiful goddess and I. I just wish you would be here to see it, Mom. You would be sitting in the front row, and I can imagine you crying. I wish I could see that smile on your face one last time. I hope that if you'd see me today, you'd be proud of me. You were so amazing, and I bet wherever you are, you still are. Not a day goes by where I don't think about how your eyes shined. I think about you every night, and I love you."

Annabeth squeezed his hand, as he whispered the last three words again.

Wiping the tears, Percy stood up. He swallowed the lump in his throat, casting a thankful look at Annabeth.

She smiled and laid her hands against his shoulder. Kissing her two fingers and touching Sally's gravestone, Annabeth ran her fingers along Percy's knuckles. "Ready?"

Percy watched the sun for a second, bracing himself for the day he'd been waiting for.

"With you, of course I am."

* * *

Annabeth's P.O.V:

Annabeth grinned at herself in the mirror. ( **A/N: Prologue, anyone?)**

She slowly turned around, watching her wedding dress flow along with her. It was made of silk, spreading out in an "A" fashion. It fit her perfectly, surprising Annabeth since it was strapless. Her short heels clacked against the floor as she moved. Annabeth's hair was let down, only small strands pulled up by glimmering jewels. A minimum of makeup was placed on Annabeth, concealer, mascara, and a thin coating of lip gloss. Still, it had taken quite a bit of makeup to cover up the scars that Luke had caused.

The butterflies in her stomach erupted as she heard the people outside begin to whisper and mutter. They'd decided to do the wedding in Hades's house, and he had easily obliged. Annabeth guessed it was Nico's doing. She sighed quietly to herself, remembering her first wedding.

 _I was never this happy._ _I was never this eager, or liked how I looked_.

Annabeth wondered whether or not Rachel would have attended. Her gut wrenched as she thought about Rachel. Percy and Annabeth had decided to keep the wedding to only people they knew, and that resulted in a little over a hundred guests. Annabeth wished that Rachel could be amongst those guests, but knew Rachel was never coming back.

A man walked into the house, his tux shining through the light. He gave a smile to Annabeth, but his eyes were filled with lingering sadness. Annabeth felt a pang at the fact that she'd never see her mother while walking down the aisle, or ever again.

"Ready, sweetheart?"

Annabeth nodded at her dad. She laced her arm with his as he kissed the top of her forehead. "I'm ready."

They walked out together, and all eyes focused on Annabeth. But she didn't. Annabeth was staring at Percy, her eyes locked with his. He looked back at her, tears forming in his eyes.

Wearing a tuxedo with a green tie, hair sticking up everywhere but in a neat fashion, Percy looked _gorgeous._ He gave her a wink, and she returned the gesture, too happy to speak. Beside him was Nico, the best man, then Jason, Leo, and Will. They all gave her grins.

Her eyes momentarily met Thalia's, who was the best maid. She waved with her flowers, motioning something with her fingers that had Annabeth blushing. Thalia had insisted on wearing dark blue, her converse clearly visible under her floor length dress. Thalia looked _beautiful,_ the eyeliner making her eyes pop. Happiness shone in Thalia's eyes, making them seem even brighter.

Emotions were overwhelming her, and when Annabeth reached the alter, Frederick looked at her for several seconds.

"I'm so happy for you, sweetheart. I love you. Always remember that." He kissed her again, a tear slipping down his cheek. With an "I love you too", Annabeth stepped up.

The pastor, Tyson, cleared his throat as Annabeth stared at Percy. He stared back, mouth slightly open as he took her in.

"We are here today for the wedding of Annabeth Marie Chase and Perseus Jackson. In this beloved wedding, we are here as the two present become one lovingly, passionately, and happily. If any person can justify why these two should not be married, let them speak now or forever hold your peace."

Annabeth half expected Luke to barge in and object.

But nobody did, and Annabeth breathed a sigh of relief.

Tyson nodded at Percy. "You may now begin your vows."

Percy smiled at Annabeth, taking a huge breath before speaking. "I, Perseus Jackson, take you, Annabeth Marie Chase, to be my beloved wife without any doubt in my mind." He cleared his throat. "I do this because the moment I first saw you, Annabeth, I could tell that you were something special. I could see the potential you had, and how much you noticed. Marrying you would be the best thing I'd ever done, and I would _love_ to wake up to you every morning. I would love to spend my entire life with you. I'd love to experience what else life has for me, and to live out my future. And the best part of doing that is the fact that I will be doing it with you. I promise to hold you in your times of need, in sickness and in health, and I promise to never let anything separate us. I promise to always be faithful and loyal. 'Till death do us part. But I'll probably end up trying to find you in the afterlife anyway. You're my heaven. You're the light in my world, the reason I look forward to waking up. I love you."

He leaned over to wipe her tears away, then wiping his own. Behind her, Annabeth could hear Piper sniffle, and Thalia chuckle, though it sounded strained.

"Nice, Perseus," Thalia muttered.

Annabeth barely concealed her grin. The pastor gave her the signal to start, and Annabeth let out a shaky breath before beginning.

"I, Annabeth Chase, take you, Perseus Jackson, to be my beloved husband with absolutely no hesitancy. I do this because when we first met, Percy, you stole my heart. You made me believe in something I never thought possible, and you've changed me in so many ways. I find it hard to believe you're mine, and I will savor it until the very last day. You've made me the person I am today, with your sarcastic and annoying self." He gave out a laugh. "I can't wait to spend my life with you, starting from today, which is day one. I promise to care for you in sickness and in health, to remain loyal and faithful. I promise to not let anything divide us, for today, we are one. 'Till death do us. I'm never letting you go, Percy Jackson. Ever."

He gulped, as she finished with her last word. With her heart beating rapidly, Annabeth wanted to so badly kiss him. She tightened her grip on the flowers that she was holding -different shades of roses- when the pastor spoke again. "Wonderful. You may now kiss the bride."

They leaned in, Annabeth tangling her fingers in Percy's hair. He picked her up, twirling her slightly. The kiss was soft yet passionate before Annabeth deepened the kiss. Percy kissed back, tracing her arm with the letters of "I love you".

Applause broke out between the crowd, and Thalia cleared her throat loudly. The two broke apart reluctantly, but a grin spread across Annabeth's face as she watched the crowd.

Making eye contact with her dad, she saw him wiping tears from his eyes, and shaking his head. He mouthed night words that almost had Annabeth break down right then and there. _Your mom would have been so proud of you._

She nodded in return, not trusting herself to speak.

Scanning the crowd, Annabeth saw Hermes. He was clapping, a small smile on his lips. When his gaze meet Annabeth's, Hermes nodded at Annabeth.

She pursed her lips, before smiling back. It was the least she could do.

Music began to blare out, and the crowd erupted into laughs as Thalia and Nico pushed the newly wedding couple into the middle of a circle. Percy threw his head back and laughed, a sound that was music to Annabeth's ears.

He held a hand out to Annabeth, eyes twinkling as an unfamiliar, yet slow song began to play. Annabeth recognized it as the song "You Are in Love" by a singer who she had completely forgotten about ( **A/N: I don't own this song. All rights go to Taylor Swift**.). "Care to dance?"

Annabeth took his hand, as he pulled her in closer. The sky was turning a dark shade of blue, and the light reflected against Percy perfectly.

 _One look, dark room  
Men just for you  
Time moved too fast  
You played it back  
Buttons on a coat  
Light hearted joke_

The lyrics began to play as Percy pulled Annabeth closer to him, then twirled her around. He placed his hands on Annabeth's hips as she wrapped her arms around his neck. They swayed together slowly, forgetting about the world around them.

 _No proof not much  
But you saw enough  
Small talk, he drives  
Coffee at midnight, the light reflects  
The chain on your neck  
He says look up  
And your shoulders brush  
No proof, one touch  
You felt enough_

Percy looked into Annabeth's eyes. He spoke quietly, but loud enough for Annabeth to hear.

"I can't get over how beautiful you look,"

Annabeth blushed. "I could say the same about you. You look pretty amazing."

Percy raised his eyebrows, spinning her around. "This day seems unbelievable."

Annabeth nodded as they switched places. "Is your dad here?"

Percy shrugged. "He left after the vows."

"Why?"

Again, Percy raised his shoulders. "Work, probably. That's more important that his son's wedding. I guess some things don't ever change."

"That's terrible."

Percy tipped Annabeth down, his lips brushing against hers. "Yeah, but you're here. We're getting married. Then going to Greece for our honeymoon. I have other things in my mind other than him."

Annabeth breathed in deeply. "I can't wait for Greece."

"Agreed."

 _You can hear it in the silence, silence, you  
You can feel it on the way home, way home, you  
You can see it with the lights out, lights out,  
You are in love, true love  
You are in love_

Percy's grip on Annabeth's hips tightened slightly. He watched her for a while, neither of them saying a word.

"I love you so much," Percy said. "I can't even express it, Annabeth. It's so weird."

Annabeth shook her head. "I love you, too. And I can't even express it, either."

"I love you to the moon and back."

"You're getting cheesy."

"Yeah," Percy breathed against her ear as they repeated their motions, "but Wise Girl, you're blushing."

His words caused Annabeth to blush even more, and she groaned as she imagined her red face. "I hate you."

He winked.

"You know," Annabeth said, "I think the reason why we can't explain it is because love isn't explainable. The bond you and I have speaks enough."

His eyes twinkled in the light as the last beats of the song died out. "Now who's getting cheesy?"

* * *

Annabeth with amused eyes as Thalia pointed a finger at Percy's chest, her lips moving rapidly. Percy stared back at her with wide eyes hands up in surrender.

Faintly, she could hear Thalia talking. "..and I _swear,_ Perseus Jackson, _hurt_ her, and I will make sure that your entire definition of hurt is changed."

Percy said something which Annabeth couldn't hear, and Thalia started her rant all over again. Silently laughing at Percy's misery, Annabeth came face to face with Nico.

All around them, people were dancing, and the music was blaring. Lanterns were decorated and lit amongst the entire backyard, making it seem like a fairytale.

Nico raised an eyebrow at her. His dark eyes bored into hers, but in a playful way. "Why isn't the bride dancing?"

Annabeth shrugged. "I don't know. Didn't feel like it."

He nodded. Everything about Nico screamed dark, with his pale face and his dark suit, but Annabeth wasn't intimidated. "Good. I hate dancing. Can we talk?"

Annabeth nodded, leaning against one of the tables. Nico was beside her, being a couple inches taller than her. He sipped a drink in his hand.

"I wanted to say that I'm Percy's best friend, and I'm his best friend for a reason. He's loyal and would never hurt anybody. He puts others in front of him, and when something happens..it isn't a pretty sight to see."

Annabeth nodded, still watching Percy. She finally turned to Nico. "I see."

He stuffed his hands into his pockets. "For the longest time, Percy was all I had when we were kids. He and I became friends in some miraculous way. I don't know how much he's told you about his life, but he's been hurt a lot of times." Something flashed in Nico's eyes. "You..he talks about you a lot. About how much he loves you. About how much he cares for you. All I'm asking is, don't be the one to break his heart."

"That's the last thing I'd do."

Nico smiled, though it was only for a couple seconds. When he did smile, his eyes crinkled up and he looked..friendly. "Thanks."

A blonde man suddenly came up to Nico, wrapped his arm around his waist. Annabeth noticed how Nico visibly brightened. The two were polar opposites, Nico with his dark eyes and hair, and Will with his blonde hair and blue eyes. They were cute together.

Will grinned at Annabeth, flashing his white teeth. "You're the bride, right?"

Annabeth nodded.

Will's grin widened. "Congratulations. You and Percy are definitely meant to be."

Annabeth smiled at Will, "Thank you. And I hear you and Nico are engaged?"

Will laughed, and pulled Nico closer, who rolled his eyes but nonetheless was smiling. "Yeah. We're thinking about somewhere in May. You attending?"

"I'll try my best."

"Cool," Will said. "I'll cya around?"

"Yep." Annabeth responded, unable to stop the feeling of happiness overcome her as she watched Will leaving after saluting, dragging Nico with him.

Momentarily, Annabeth caught Reyna's eye. She was across the room, hair down in an elegant braid. She was wearing a dark purple dress which brought her eyes out, and was dancing with a stranger. Annabeth looked closer and realized it was the same man who'd been with Reyna before, Ethan.

Reyna gave her a quick smile, throwing her head back as Ethan tripped while dancing. Annabeth beamed back, giving her a finger wave.

A second later, someone tapped her shoulder. Annabeth turned around to face her dad.

"I know you may not have time for your dad," he spoke quietly, "but would you like a dance?"

Annabeth kissed his cheek. "I'll always have time for you, Dad."

He offered a small smile as she placed her hand on his shoulder. He lightly held her waist, watching her with a wistful look.

"You're so much like Athena," Frederick said. "Everything you do reminds me of her."

"I'll never be as amazing as her."

Frederick shook his head, "You already are amazing, honey. You're so grown up, I remember you trying to clean off your knee scrapes with mud like it was yesterday."

Annabeth smiled at the memory.

"You've grown up so fast, dealt with so much," Frederick let out a sigh. "I'm so proud of you, baby."

"Do you think Mom would have been proud of me?"

"Of course, Annabeth. She already was."

Annabeth dropped her gaze to the ground, unable to look her dad in the eye. She knew it was her fault her mother was dead. But did her dad know? All she'd told him was that Luke tried to kill her and had been abusive. Nothing about Athena came up.

"I miss her."

Frederick kissed her hand. "I miss her too, baby."

Annabeth laid her head on her dad's shoulder, breathing quietly, trying to imagine that somehow, things had never changed.

* * *

Percy's P.O.V:

Hours after the wedding, which included secret kisses, threatening best friends, throwing cake, dancing, jokes, and millions of other things, Percy led Annabeth out to the lake. It wasn't very large, but the lights from the city could be seen reflecting on the lake.

Both of them had changed out from their attire, Annabeth in a hoodie and jeans, Percy in a polo and skinny jeans. Annabeth leaned against Percy's chest, and he played with her hair.

It was dark, and faint sounds of the city could be heard. The night sky held a full moon, and Percy breathed in Annabeth's scent.

"Today was amazing," Annabeth told him. "I can't believe you threw cake at Thalia."

Percy shrugged. "She started it."

Annabeth's body shook from laughter, and she was quiet for a moment before speaking. "Percy? Can we switch positions?"

"Sure."

Percy's head was now on Annabeth's lap, and he shut his eyes, wishing it could always be this peaceful. Just the two of them. Forever.

"Hey, Wise Girl?"

"Yeah?"

"What did the owl say to the other owl?"

Annabeth groaned. "Percy, not _this_ again."

He grinned. " _Owl-o."_

She shook her head, but the hint of a smile was visible through the dark. "That doesn't even make sense."

"Hmm," Percy hummed, "a lot of things don't make sense, do they?"

"No," Annabeth laughed. "Not really."

"Annabeth, I just want you to know that you're completely safe with me." Percy had been meaning to tell her all day. "You know I'm not letting anything happen to you, right?"

A wet drop landed on Percy's cheek, and he looked up at the sky. "Is it raining?"

Annabeth sniffled and shook her head. Her hands came up to wipe tears that were slowly dripping off her cheek. "No."

"Wise Girl," Percy said, worried. "Everything okay? Did I say something wrong?"

She nodded. "I'm sorry, I'm just having a hard time believing Luke's gone, even after half a year. It seems too unreal that he isn't going to hurt me anymore, and that for once, I'll be happy."

Percy's eyes met hers. He reached up trace her arm slowly. "Then I'll help you realize it's real. I'll show you that nothing's going to happen to you. I'm right here, and I always will be. Look, I may not know what the future holds, but I do know that we were supposed to end up together."

"I have a feeling we were meant to be," Annabeth said quietly. "That we were supposed to be together, too. It was part of fate."

Percy made a noise of agreement. They stayed like that for the longest time, in comfortable silence. Percy glanced at the moon. _We were meant to be._ _This was supposed to happen._

The moon itself glittered in the night, as if somehow, it agreed.

 **A/N: I was seriously contemplating whether to throw them into the lake or not, but then decided against it since it's October. This story has officially came to an end, and I'd like to thank every single person reading this for sticking with it. I can't begin to explain how much this story means to me, and how much all your support has done. Thank you to all of you people for following, favoriting, reviewing, and/or reviewing TWSH! All of you have helped kept this going. Thank you all for making this story such a success. I probably have to sit and wait to get over this before I post the final part. I'll never forget this story, and now I'm getting all emotional. Weird. Here's to TWSH, and to an amazing 2015 with this story! I love all of you.**

 **JustOneMorePage: Thank you so much ;)**

 **japanloveroffood: Thank you so much! Sadly, I couldn't do that because I didn't want to skip time as much as it already had been. Hopefully you got a good idea as to how everything turned out. Once again, thank you so much for reading this story. I appreciate it.**

 **MajorCartooniac: New York is something extraordinary. I just put a house that I go to almost daily, and went with that. The treasure hunt thing was a good idea. Only a genius could've requested it ;) I tried to put Tyson in as best as I could. Thank you so much for sticking with me through the whole story!**

 **crazybooknerd112: Agreed. Thanks for reading TWSH and reviewing! It meant a lot. (:**

 **.just. : Yeah! I liked that part a ton, too. Thank you so,** _ **so**_ **much for reviewing for TWSH. It was so much fun getting to know you through the reviews! It's appreciated.**

 **Someone the World Forgot: Yeah. It was! It was MajorCartooniac's idea, and I'm so glad I got to include it. He probably had a ton of help for the ring from Leo Valdez himself. ;) Thank you so much for reviewing and following! I can't explain how happy your reviews have made me. Thank you.**

 **KHCMC36: THREE DAY UPDATE. BOOM. I loved the treasure hunt too. Writing it was so fun. I hate Gabe. He's not coming into TWSH ever again. A sequel probably isn't likely, haha, but you know. Thank you, so much! I can't even begin to explain how much all your reviews meant to me. I seriously look forward to them as much as you look forward to updates. I have a feeling we could be very good friends ;) (And yeah, PM me.) I hope you liked TWSH!**

 **SkyTheGreat: Thank you so much! You're so sweet. I hope you liked the way this ended :)**

 **Booknerds22202: Yeah..I was going to include the book then thought better. Thanks for letting me know! And here it is, the grande finale of TWSH. What did you think?**

 **rhig122: Aw. Thank you so much? I'm sad it's ending, too. I'll miss your reviews. Thank** _ **you**_ **for taking me on this journey of writing. *hugs***

 **ShatteredOwl: Thanks! How'd you like the ending?**

 **SonOfPoseidon: *grins* Thank you so much!**

 **Sally Stevens: I know! I was so excited this chapter. It'll be unbelievable if I get to 500! Thank you so much! You're so kind. I hope you liked the end!**

 **clo7615: Thanks! It's been a pleasure to respond to your reviews :D**

 **unspoken-code: I know!? I loved writing the proposal. Thank you so much! Your reviews have always made me smile. :)**

 **Anniejackson1: Hope this is soon enough :)**

 **C123002: Merry Christmas! I wish it wasn't ending, either. Thank you so much!**

 **AutumnLeaves03: I know! Thank you so much! Your reviews make my day :D**

 **twinsarekeepers: Yeah. Writing has saved my life so many times.**

 **Yeah..that's it of the reviews. All of you guys mean the world to me. I can't explain it, and I hope this story is something that was worth reading. I'll go edit the first couple chapters and overall the whole story, eventually. I can see how much my writing's improved and none of this would've been possible without you guys. Thank you for making my first months on fanfiction so amazing. And for once and for all, I hope you guys liked this story! Keep smiling, xxx.**


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